The United Kingdom’s domestic intelligence agency, MI5, has issued an advisory to its politicians and their staff on how to spot potential Russian or Chinese spies during their routine work.
The advisory included a new manual released by the agency on the MI5’s National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), stating the UK has been a target of “long-term strategic foreign interference and espionage” from Russia, China, and Iran.
The document says the hostile actors could potentially use ordinary interaction and casual conversations for information gathering, recruitment, or blackmail. It advises politicians, members of the UK government, diplomatic missions, and embassies to remain alert to their instincts and, “if something doesn’t feel right,” report to their security teams.
It also states that the people should “keep track of odd social interactions, frequent requests to meet privately, and out-of-place introductions or engagements. If a request is “vague and involves over-flattery or pressure to respond quickly to avoid missing out, or appears just too good to be true, you should be cautious.”
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Furthermore, the advisory says, the actors can exploit “shared interests and social gatherings” when approaching their targets.
Additionally, politicians are warned that foreign agents can pose serious threats by concealing their real identities and targeting assets and people associated with the UK’s government and its diplomatic missions.
“Everyone reading the advisory cares deeply about the role they play in UK democracy. Take action today to protect it – and yourself,” MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said. MI5 said it recorded more than 20,000 instances of foreign actors using networking sites to gather sensitive information over the past two years.
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