Chinese spies are targeting UK government and military staff on professional networking sites like LinkedIn to gain access to classified information, MI5 has warned. A bulletin issued by the Five Eyes intelligence alliance—comprising the UK, US, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand—highlights an aggressive online recruitment strategy.
Agents posing as HR consultants for private businesses or think tanks advertise non-existent jobs, such as foreign policy or defence analysts. They pressure successful candidates to provide 'non-public' information, aiming to acquire military, political, and economic intelligence that could give China a strategic advantage over the Five Eyes.
Targets include security clearance holders, military personnel, and those with indirect access to sensitive information, such as academics, journalists, and think tank employees. Recruiters scrutinise CVs, conduct virtual interviews, and ask for trial reports before pushing for more sensitive details on encrypted platforms.
Payments for reports range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars via platforms like PayPal and cryptocurrency. The bulletin warns that unauthorised disclosure could lead to prosecution for spying. A Chinese embassy spokesperson dismissed the allegations as 'entirely fabricated' and accused Five Eyes of being the real threat.
