Chinese intelligence agencies use LinkedIn to gather data on employees of Western companies.

Security agencies of the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand warn about the threat of espionage by Chinese special services through recruitment platforms. Their goal is to collect non-public information through contacts with employees of Western companies.

According to a report published by TechCrunch, Chinese intelligence services use job search sites like LinkedIn to pose as recruiters or agency representatives. This allows them to establish contacts with individuals who have access to valuable information that could provide a strategic advantage to China. The main focus is on collecting military, political, and economic information about the Five Eyes alliance countries.

The selection of potential information sources is based on the analysis of resumes and professional information available in the public domain. Even information that does not have a classified status can be significant when combined with other data for decision-making or policy formation.

LinkedIn, for its part, stated that combating fake accounts is one of the platform’s important priorities. They continuously work on identifying and blocking accounts linked to state entities that violate the service’s rules.

This case is not unique but only part of a broader problem. In May this year, the Financial Information and Investigation Service of the Netherlands seized 800 servers of hosting companies associated with Russian hackers who carried out cyberattacks on European government institutions and banks.