Chinese spies are using career websites like Microsoft-owned LinkedIn to track and potentially recruit assets, US and allied intelligence agencies warned.  China will take all they can.

     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.  “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.

     “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.