Chinese spies targeting UK government and military staff on job sites, MI5 warns

Chinese spies are targeting UK government and military staff on job websites including LinkedIn to try to get access to classified or sensitive information, MI5 has warned.

A bulletin has been released by the Five Eyes powers – the UK, US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand – highlighting an “aggressive” online recruitment strategy where spies for Beijing military intelligence pose as workers acting on behalf of private businesses or thinktanks.

They advertise for non-existent jobs such as foreign policy or defence analysts, before pressuring candidates to provide “non-public” information, the domestic intelligence agencies warned on Wednesday.

Recruits are targeted on professional networking sites and online job platforms including LinkedIn, Indeed and Upwork as Chinese agents purporting to be HR consultants for legitimate-looking companies that appear to be located elsewhere in the world, targeting those with either direct or indirect access to British secrets.

Even if the applicant has no direct access to classified information, other details of government policy or military strategies and capabilities could compromise national security, the agencies warn.

The document, published by ASIO, CSIS, FBI, MI5 and NZSIS, said: “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.

“These actors use an aggressive online recruitment strategy whereby intelligence officers or their affiliates pose as employees of private consultancies, thinktanks or human resources firms, and place online job advertisements for foreign policy and defence analysts or similar.

“Successful candidates are pressured to provide ‘non-public’ information for unspecified clients who are associated with the Chinese government.

“China’s military intelligence services ultimately seek to acquire privileged military, political and economic intelligence that can provide China with a strategic and tactical advantage over the Five Eyes.

The type of workers who may be targeted include:

Security clearance holders, especially those who specialise in defence, foreign affairs and security and intelligence.

Military personnel, including those stationed in the Indo-Pacific region, who have knowledge of regional capabilities and general activities.

People with either indirect or peripheral access to government information, including academics, journalists, freelance writers, thinktank employees, or anyone with links to the defence, security, policy and economic sectors.

After posting the adverts, the agents scrutinise applicants’ CVs to find who might have access to useful information, the bulletin said.

Interviews are done virtually with the recruiters concealing their true identities, questioning candidates for key details including access to government contacts or military activities.

The job hopefuls are then asked to write a trial report on topics such as China’s relations with other countries, defence or trade, before being pushed for more sensitive information as the conversation moves to encrypted messaging platforms.

Recruits are paid between a few hundred and up to several thousand dollars a report on payment platforms including PayPal, Payoneer, Zelle, Skrill and Wise, as well as Western Union, e-transfer and cryptocurrency.

The bulletin warns that anyone involved in the unauthorised disclosure of information could face prosecution for spying.

MI5 has previously warned about Chinese spies seeking to obtain information by using LinkedIn to recruit Britons working in sensitive areas. Posing as recruitment consultants, the agents have sought to lure at least 20,000 Britons with potential job offers.