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Five Eyes job-site warning
The Five Eyes security alliance warned that China is targeting personnel linked to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.K, and the U.S. on job websites to obtain “classified or sensitive information.”
In a bulletin, the group described an “aggressive” online recruitment strategy in which spies for Chinese military intelligence pose as workers acting for private businesses or think tanks and advertise for bogus jobs such as foreign policy or defense analysts.
The warning says Chinese agents use websites such as LinkedIn, Indeed and Upwork to post job ads, then pressure candidates to provide “non-public” information and move conversations to encrypted messaging platforms.
The alliance said recruits are paid “a few hundred to several thousand dollars per report” on payment platforms including PayPal, Western Union and cryptocurrency.
Platform and embassy responses
The joint bulletin co-signed by the Five Eyes agencies said Chinese 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.
A LinkedIn spokesperson responded that “Creating a fake account or misrepresenting your identity is a clear violation of our terms of service,” while Upwork said it was “closely monitoring for any potential misuse.”
The Chinese Embassy in London condemned the warning, saying the allegation of a so-called “Chinese espionage threat” is “entirely fabricated and constitutes malicious slander.”
In the same context, the embassy spokesperson said the Five Eyes alliance is “the world’s largest intelligence organization,” adding that its members carry out espionage and theft activities “with impunity around the world.”
Targets and payments at risk
The Five Eyes bulletin warned that the types of workers at risk include security clearance holders, military personnel including those stationed in the Indo-Pacific region, and people with indirect or peripheral access to government information such as journalists or think tank employees.
It said Chinese agents trawl through applicants’ CVs, conduct subsequent interviews virtually, and then ask job hopefuls to write a report on topics such as China’s relations with other countries, defense or trade, before pushing for more sensitive information.
The warning also described payments ranging from “a few hundred” to “several thousand dollars” per report, with payment methods including PayPal, Payoneer, Zelle, Skrill and Wise as well as Western Union, e-transfer and cryptocurrency.
The bulletin further warned that anyone involved in the unauthorised disclosure of information could face prosecution for spying, while the Chinese Embassy spokesperson insisted that intelligence gathering by Five Eyes countries was “the real threat to peace-loving countries.”
