DHS warns of Chinese-made drones stealing sensitive data

• Drones contain components that can steal sensitive data and share on a server accessed beyond the company itself.
• An industry analysis has revealed that nearly 80% of the drones used in the US and Canada are from DJI, which is headquartered in Shenzhen, China.

The US Department of Homeland Security warns that Chinese-made drones might be sharing sensitive flight data to its manufacturers on a server accessible to the Chinese government.

Contents of the alert

The US Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has warned that drones are a “potential risk to an organization's information” and that it contains components that can steal sensitive data and share on a server accessed beyond the company itself.

“Those concerns apply with equal force to certain Chinese-made (unmanned aircraft systems)-connected devices capable of collecting and transferring potentially revealing data about their operations and the individuals and entities operating them, as China imposes unusually stringent obligations on its citizens to support national intelligence activities,” the alert read, CNN reported.

Which drone manufacturers are suspect?

The alert did not specify any manufacturer. However, industry analysis has revealed that nearly 80% of the drones used in the US and Canada are from DJI, which is headquartered in Shenzhen, China.

Key takeaway

Users are warned to be cautious while purchasing drones from China and to take security measures like turning off the device's internet connection and removing secure digital cards to avoid data theft.