Natto Thoughts

Is This Chinese Company Watching the World to Train its AI?

The story of Meari Technology reveals how insecure-by-design IoT infrastructure, global surveillance exposure, and China’s tech ecosystem are converging…

May 20 • Natto Team

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Chasing Palantir: Inside China’s Obsession and the Rise of Its Next-Generation AI-enabled Defense Firms

Chinese companies face institutional barriers as they strive to emulate Palantir’s provision of AI-enabled military-industrial applications to…

May 6 • Natto Team

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April 2026

Chinese Firm Claims AI-Driven Bug Discovery Near Claude Mythos Scale

Chinese companies could match the capabilities attributed to Claude Mythos within months, according to industry experts, reinforcing existing cyber…

Apr 22 • Eugenio Benincasa

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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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