(China — August 12, 2025) On July 16, a U.S. cybersecurity company, Lookout, released a report revealing that Chinese authorities are using a new type of mobile forensic tool called Massistant to extract sensitive data from confiscated phones. Developed by Chinese tech giant Xiamen Meiya Pico, the tool can retrieve text messages, images, location histories, audio, contacts, and other personal information from chat applications. 

Massistant is a type of malware targeting the Android system, requiring physical access and installation on an unlocked phone to operate. Lookout researchers noted that, while it is unclear exactly which police agencies are using it, the extent of its adoption is concerning. 

Under laws implemented in China since 2024, state security police have the legal authority to inspect mobile phones and computers without a search warrant, even without opening a formal investigation. 

During border inspections, state security police require individuals to cooperate in unlocking their devices. Law enforcement agencies do not need to exploit actual vulnerabilities, as the law already grants them direct access rights. 

While Massistant leaves traces upon installation, which means that users may be able to detect and remove it, once it has been installed, the theft of mobile data has already occurred, and the damage is irreversible. 

Although Lookout did not find a version for Apple’s iOS system, diagrams on Meiya Pico’s official website suggest that iPhones can also be connected to related forensic hardware, implying the company may have data extraction tools for Apple devices as well. 

Massistant is an upgraded version of MSSocket, a similar tool launched by Meiya Pico in 2019. Meiya Pico holds roughly a 40% share of China’s digital forensics market and was placed on the U.S. government sanctions list in 2021 for providing technical assistance to the Chinese government in stealing user information. 

Massistant is just one element in China’s vast “surveillance technology ecosystem.” 

Reported By Special Correspondent Gao Zhensai for ChinaAid