Natto Thoughts

Forum: Technology in China’s 15th Five-Year Plan

Experts evaluate tech's diverse role in China's new central planning documents

Published on DigiChina Update • Apr 10

Cybersecurity Strategy in China’s 15th Five-Year Plan

China’s high-level cyber strategy for the next five years continues the effort to build a cyber superpower, outlining more detailed requirements

Apr 8 • Natto Team

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March 2026

Wargaming a China-Taiwan Conflict and Its Cyber Scenarios

China’s use of cyber strategies in a conflict with Taiwan is likely to follow a methodical, gradual approach

Mar 25 • Natto Team and Robin Dimyanoglu

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Faux Amis: How France Stands Apart in Europe’s High-Risk University Cyber Partnerships with China

France hosts the EU’s densest cluster of cyber partnerships with Chinese defense-linked universities, raising exposure to dual-use knowledge transfer…

Mar 11 • Eugenio Benincasa

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February 2026

China’s National Research Center for Information Technology Security: Is It Part of the PLA Cyberspace Force?

Under “Two signboards” arrangement, the NITSC offers services to public, Party, government, and military entities, under the guise of a civilian name.

Feb 25 • Natto Team

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The Tianfu Cup Returns Under MPS Leadership as AI Takes Center Stage

After a two-year hiatus, the Tianfu Cup returns under MPS lead, combining AI-assisted vulnerability discovery and exploitation, a new competition track…

Feb 11 • Eugenio Benincasa

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January 2026

Provincial Tasking, Cross-Provincial Execution: A Case-Based Look at How China Scales Cyber Operations

How decentralized MSS and MPS tasking and market-enabled, cross-provincial execution by commercial firms shape the scale of China’s cyber operations

Jan 28 • Eugenio Benincasa

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China’s 2025 Top 20 Cybersecurity Companies: Which “Dark Horses” Will Emerge to Prominence in 2026?

Annual ranking reveals hyper-competitive, innovation-focused top performers – some familiar and some not so well known, with extensive government ties

Jan 14 • Natto Team

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A Look Back at the Top 5 Natto Thoughts Reports in 2025

From attack–defense thinking to vulnerability research and exposed threat actors, we explored key aspects of China’s cyber ecosystem

Jan 6 • Natto Team

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December 2025

The Many Arms of the MSS: Why Provincial Bureaus Matter in China’s Cyber Operations

Provincial bureaus of the Chinese Ministry of State Security likely operate with their own tasking priorities, resources, and local ecosystems for cyber…

Dec 16, 2025 • Eugenio Benincasa and Natto Team

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Knownsec: The King of Vulnerability Missed Three Vulnerabilities of Its Own

The leak incident involving Chinese cybersecurity firm Knownsec shows the company’s seemingly transparent crisis management strategy and underscores its…

Dec 3, 2025 • Natto Team

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November 2025

China’s Cybersecurity Companies Advancing Offensive Cyber Capabilities Through Attack-Defense Labs

Private-sector attack-defense labs form a core pillar of how China builds, sustains, and operationalizes cyber capability for commercial purposes and…

Nov 19, 2025 • Eugenio Benincasa and Natto Team

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