Chinese spies are using career websites like Microsoft-owned LinkedIn to track and potentially recruit assets, US and allied intelligence agencies warned Thursday.
The warning, which was co-signed by each of the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance – from the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – said China is stepping up efforts to recruit individuals with direct or indirect access to classified government 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 agencies said in the joint bulletin.
“These actors use an aggressive online recruitment strategy whereby intelligence officers or their affiliates pose as employees of private consultancies, think tanks or human resources firms, and place online job advertisements for foreign policy and defense analysts,” they added.
The “Five Eyes” agencies pointed to military personnel, security clearance holders, academics, journalists and think tank officials as among those who are particularly at risk of being targeted.
Chinese spies often “post job ads on professional networking platforms and online hiring and freelance ‘gig work’ websites like LinkedIn, Indeed and Upwork” as they attempt to make first contact with potential assets, officials said.
“Chinese intelligence officers pose as online HR recruiters or consultants who represent fake, but often legitimate looking, ‘cover companies’ and claim to be located in countries other than China,” the bulletin added.
Asked comment, a LinkedIn spokesperson said: “Creating a fake account or misrepresenting your identity is a clear violation of our terms of service.
“We remain focused on detecting state-sponsored abuse, and will continue to enforce our policies against fake accounts,” the spokesperson added.
Representatives for Indeed and Upwork did not immediately return requests for comment.
The Chinese embassy in the UK slammed the allegations as “malicious slander.”
“It must be pointed out that the ‘Five Eyes’ alliance is the world’s largest intelligence organization, and its members carry out espionage and theft activities with impunity around the world,” an embassy spokesperson said in a statement posted online. “They are the real threat to peace-loving countries.”
US officials have long accused China, led by President Xi Jinping, of engaging in clandestine efforts to compromise military bases and steal intellectual property – allegations that China has denied.
Last month, the New York Times reported that an aide working for the House Select Committee on China was targeted in what was believed to be a recruitment effort linked to Chinese intelligence.
“The Chinese government actively targets Congress and congressional staff as part of a broader influence and intelligence collection effort, frequently using benign-appearing inquiries to get sensitive information related to U.S. defense, supply chains, and economic strategy,” Select Committee Chairman John Moolenaar said in a statement on the incident.
“The Select Committee is a high-priority target due to its investigative and policy work, but so are all other Congressional members and staff. Vigilance is essential and everyone who works for Congress must remain alert to suspicious outreach,” the Michigan Republican added.
