The Five Eyes intelligence alliance, comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US, has issued a joint notice warning that Chinese intelligence agencies are using job platforms such as LinkedIn to “lure” recruits with access to sensitive information.
“China’s military intelligence services are using an increasingly wide array of professional networking sites and online job platforms to target Five Eyes government and military personnel — and anyone with access to classified or privileged information,” the domestic security agencies of the alliance’s countries said in a bulletin titled “Safeguarding Our Secrets” on Wednesday.
Targets include security clearance holders, particularly in defence, foreign affairs, security and intelligence; military personnel with knowledge of regional capabilities and activities; and individuals with direct or indirect access to government information, the agencies said.
The bulletin said intelligence operatives or their affiliates pose as consultants, think tank staff or recruiters, posting jobs for foreign policy and defence analysts before “pressuring” successful applicants to provide “non-public” information for “unspecified clients who are associated with the Chinese government.”
