On Thursday, September 11, 2025, Geedge Networks and the Chinese Academy of Sciences experienced a massive internal leak.
Over 600 gigabytes of information were leaked on hacktivist forums. The links for downloading the leaked database remain open to the public and are free of charge.
How Severe is the Leak?
This is the largest leak in the history of the Great Firewall of China. It involves over 500 gigabytes of source code, internal communications between the various departments responsible for operating the Great Firewall, and other technical information.
Due to the massive volume of data, no independent outlet has yet published a full analysis of the code. However, the nature of the leak itself makes it a highly sensitive issue for China.
What is the Great Firewall of China?
Every country in the world regulates the internet to some degree, and China is no different.
Due to the centralized nature of the Chinese state and the policies of the CCP, the authorities found it necessary to implement regulations that go far beyond those of any other country. The internet in China is domestically regulated, foreign websites are blocked, and cross-border internet traffic is tightly controlled.
The Great Firewall of China is highly technical and complex in nature, with no other internet ecosystem in the world existing on such a scale.
What Does the Leak Show?
Several countries are interested in adopting a Great Firewall–like system, or at least certain technical aspects of it. Countries that have requested technical assistance and expertise include Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Ethiopia, and Myanmar. Another country, so secretive it is only referred to as “A24” in internal documents, also appears in the leaked files.
It also shows that China intends to develop and upgrade the Great Firewall further in key regional areas inside the country.
Chinese companies and the government are shown to be interested in exporting the Great Firewall to potential clients worldwide.