Implications for forensic researchers
This research highlights the need for further investigation into the global implications of
Geedge Networks' technologies and business model, as well as its impact on internet
freedom. To build upon these findings, we call on the internet freedom community to
convene, collaborate, and consider ways to extend this work.
One clear direction to take includes using the existing dataset and working with local
organizations and researchers to more intensively examine the operations of Geedge
Networks in each affected country, including Kazakhstan, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Myanmar, and
collaborating to help identify the unknown country. Amnesty International has conducted
comprehensive research for the Shadows of Control report, drawing on the Geedge leak,
outlining the surveillance landscape in Pakistan and how Geedge's systems fit into the
bigger picture. Focusing research on each affected country could bring valuable insights
into the nuances of Geedge’s relationships with these distinct governments and the ways in
which these developments are impacting internet freedom.
Additional research is needed on the implications of Geedge technologies for VPNs and
circumvention tools. This dataset of leaked documents contains Jira tickets, tests
performed on-site and remotely, and details on the VPNs targeted for blocking by the
government clients. A comprehensive analysis of these documents could provide more
details into the methods used to block circumvention tools and inform strategies for
effective countermeasures.
Another area for further study could focus on investigating the dynamic between Geedge
Networks' commercial operations and its academic ties at Mesalab. Our work for this report
only focused on what existed within the leaked data on Mesalab and its relationship with
Geedge.
More intensive research could examine interactions between Mesalab students and outside
academics as they conduct research on blocking and restricting anti-censorship tools, as
well as examining the collaborations between Western universities and the Chinese
Academy of Sciences.
Another area for both research and debate could focus on the implications of commercial
satellite internet for countries with national firewalls. This topic is highlighted in some
documents from the Mesalab in our dataset. Specifically, there are concerns about the
implications of Starlink-like technologies on countries where national firewalls exist.
As part of this research, we have chosen not to conduct a comprehensive review of the
source code or to attempt to identify security vulnerabilities in the software, as this would
likely play into the cat-and-mouse game between researchers and companies like Geedge.
Instead, we recommend that others working on developing circumvention methods take on
this challenge in order to make existing tools more resilient and responsive to these
emerging threats.