MI5 has issued an ‘espionage alert’ warning U.K. lawmakers that Chinese intelligence operatives are using LinkedIn and recruitment fronts to target them for information gathering and long-term cultivation. The alert, which was communicated by House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, reveals that Chinese nationals are utilizing LinkedIn profiles to conduct large-scale outreach activities on behalf of the Chinese Ministry of State Security. The agency’s warning highlights the use of professional networking sites, recruitment agents, and consultants acting as fronts for espionage, aiming to collect information and establish long-term relationships with targeted individuals.
Home Office Minister Dan Jarvis has stated that the government is rolling out a series of measures to address the risk, including a £170 million investment to modernize the encrypted technology used by civil servants to safeguard sensitive government work. The measures are part of a broader effort to enhance cybersecurity and protect against foreign intelligence operations. However, opposition parties have criticized the government’s approach, arguing that authorities are not taking sufficient action and are overly cautious in their dealings with China, potentially jeopardizing critical trade relationships.
The MI5 alert specifically cited LinkedIn profiles of two women, Amanda Qiu and Shirly Shen, suggesting that these profiles are part of a coordinated effort to reach out to UK lawmakers and other professionals. The agency warned that similar recruiters’ profiles are also being used as fronts for espionage, emphasizing the scale and targeted nature of the campaign. This development underscores growing concerns about the use of digital platforms for intelligence gathering and highlights the need for enhanced vigilance and countermeasures to protect national security interests.