Chinese spy operation targets NATO and European Union via fake LinkedIn profiles, security sources reveal.
Security officials report that China has deployed fabricated social media accounts to harvest sensitive data from personnel within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as members of both national governments in France's EU delegation at Paris headquarters during recent weeks; this espionage effort reportedly involved numerous individuals whose information was successfully transmitted back to Beijing.
Key Points
-
1A European security source reported on Friday that Beijing is using fake LinkedIn profiles to harvest sensitive data from NATO and the European Union.
-
2The alleged operation, reportedly orchestrated by China's state security ministry, involves soliciting information directly from staff members of these institutions. Dozens or numerous employees have been targeted in this campaign.
Developments
A European security source reported that China used fake LinkedIn profiles, including one named "Kevin Zhang," to solicit sensitive information from NATO and EU staff under the guise of recruitment. The alleged state-sponsored campaign involved paying recruits hundreds or thousands of dollars for reports on topics such as Taiwan policy before requesting classified data in exchange.
A European security source confirmed that Chinese spies allegedly orchestrated by Beijing's state ministry targeted NATO and EU employees using fabricated "fake" or fictitious accounts. These imposters posed as recruiters who initially requested paid reports before soliciting sensitive non-public information from staff members across the two organizations' institutions in France, Belgium, and elsewhere through LinkedIn profiles such as one named Kevin Zhang