You might want to think twice about accepting random LinkedIn requests — they could be used to spy on you.
According to the Germany's internal security service, Chinese intelligence agencies have reportedly been using fake social media profiles to snoop on the country's high-level officials.
Financial Times reports that Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV) released a study on Sunday indicating that Chinese intel have been known to create fake profiles on platforms like professional networking site LinkedIn, posing as academics and consultants for "reputable-sounding institutions, think-tanks and universities." The study was nine months in the making.
The bogus profiles were used to get in touch with members of the German and European parliaments, senior military officials and members of special foundations, lobby groups and consulting firms. Once the connections were established, the fake users would attempt to exchange info and send invitations for conferences in China.
Some of the most widely-used profiles show pictures of attractive young women and men who claim to be headhunters or project managers or assistants. The names and profiles released by the BfV include those of Lily Wu and Alex Li from the Center for Sino-Europe Development Studies, Laeticia Chen from the China Center of International Politics and Economy and Eva Han from the China University of Political Science and Law.
A special project group set up by the BfV earlier this year found that some 10,000 German citizens had been contacted in this manner, though the agency said it believed the true number was significantly higher.
“Chinese intelligence services are using new strategies of attack in the digital space. Social networks, especially LinkedIn, are being used in an ambitious manner to gather information and for recruitment,” said Hans-Georg Maassen, the BfV president. “We are dealing with a broad attempt to infiltrate parliaments, ministries and administrations.”
"Information about habits, hobbies and even political interests can be generated with only a few clicks,” the report added. “Chinese intelligence agencies in particular are active on networks like LinkedIn.”
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