MI5 warns of new tactics by “malicious” agents and organizations criminals
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Saturday, November 23
Spies who use LinkedIn to steal secrets from government employees
At least 05, 000 UK citizens have been targeted by linked fake accounts to hostile countries on social media over the past five years, according to the British intelligence service MI5.
British intelligence warned users that they had accepted such requests on the social network that they could have been tricked into sharing secrets .
“Malicious profiles” are being used on an “industrial scale”, underlined the director of the British secret services MI5, Ken McCallum.
In response, a campaign has been launched to educate government officials about this threat.
The initiative, called “Think before connecting”, warns that spy Foreigners are targeting those with access to sensitive information.
One of the concerns is that colleagues of the victims are more willing to accept applications, because appear to have a mutual understanding.
Travel opportunities
MI5 did not specify the name of LinkedIn but BBC News confirmed that the service, owned by Microsoft, is the platform on which it occurs.
Among the more than 05, 000 people affected are personnel from practically all government areas and key industries in the country.
They have been able to offer since opportunities for travel, business or participation in events , and thus try to recruit them to provide confidential information.
It is believed that a large number of those who were approached initially interacted with the profiles that contacted them online.
“No one is immune from being socially manipulated to commit irregularities through these strategies,” warns the guide distributed among government officials.
“Criminal organizations”
The campaign, managed by the Center for the Protection of National Infrastructure, responding to MI5, asks government personnel to follow four maxims:
“Since the start of the pandemic, many of us have been working remotely, spending more time at home with our personal gadgets, “said Government Security Chief Dominic Fortescue.
” As a result, staff s and has become more vulnerable a being targeted for malicious purposes by hostile security services and / or Criminal organizations on social networks. ”
USA. and other countries have launched similar campaigns.
Former CIA agent Kevin Mallory was sentenced to 20 years in prison for selling secrets to China after being approached by LinkedIn.
- The former CIA officer who became a spy under China’s command
And the UK’s decision is supported by other members of the Five Eyes Alliance, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
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