China warns of espionage risks associated with office printers

ANKARA

China warned Friday of security risks associated with office printers amid foreign espionage concerns, state-run media reported.

The Ministry of State Security released an article reminding the public that printers, which are frequently used in modern offices, pose significant security risks that must not be overlooked, according to the Global Times.

"It has been discovered that some foreign intelligence agencies specifically purchased second-hand printers to extract residual classified documents, forming a hardware-based data theft supply chain," it said.

The warning came after the ministry on Wednesday criticized the "once renowned" US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for "violating the most basic tenets of spycraft" while hiring foreign citizens to engage in espionage activities.

In a statement, the ministry accused the CIA of attempting to contain China by repeatedly engaging in intelligence theft, infiltration and sabotage.

Last month, the CIA launched a video campaign on social media against China showing Chinese officials changing loyalties and leaking secrets to the US.

Later, China’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the CIA for "openly inciting" Chinese personnel to defect and said Beijing will take all necessary steps to firmly strike the "infiltration and sabotage" by external anti-China forces.