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> The targets told the AP that the covert agents tried to goad them into making racist and anti-Israel remarks or revealing sensitive information about their work in connection with the lawsuits. Presumably they recorded the meeting with a hidden camera and planned on blackmailing the researchers into altering or stopping their research. It must be an effective tactic, because that's just so blatant and obvious. > on…
> When mysterious operatives lured two cybersecurity researchers to meetings at luxury hotels over the past two months How does one go about luring cybersecurity reaserchers? Surely a cybersecurity researcher is not you’re average mark? Luring is generally something an adversary does to an one who is unsuspecting. I wouldn’t go so far as to say the us of the word is dishonest, but it sure seems to be leaning toward h…
Given the overwhelmingly male demographic of people who describe themselves as "cybersecurity researchers", probably with $2000 escorts and hotel rooms rigged with cameras.
It's not rocket science, literally one of the oldest espionage compromat tricks in the book.
> When mysterious operatives lured two cybersecurity researchers to meetings at luxury hotels over the past two months How does one go about luring cybersecurity reaserchers? Surely a cybersecurity researcher is not you’re average mark? Luring is generally something an adversary does to an one who is unsuspecting. I wouldn’t go so far as to say the us of the word is dishonest, but it sure seems to be leaning toward h…
They got baited by the spies presenting themselves as investors, it fits imo. Furthermore I think people who are well-practiced in HUMINT and academics/researchers building up a legal case against a hacking group don't really overlap that much.
How we got there is a long story. But, the person (agent) came to a coffee shop that I frequented and made himself very visible talking audibly about certain areas that were my interest.
I'm a very outgoing person so after over-hearing him by the second or third encounter there, I approached him or he approached me by asking to share a table. Don't fully remember.
After several meetings, he tried to goad me into saying things which were utterly antisemitic and anti-Israel. So I started to suspect something was off and those days I had a very good memory and I started noticing some contradictory stories from meetings to meetings.
So suspecting something was wrong, I dropped all contact. Then he started calling me and asking me why I'm not coming to the coffee shop anymore and used other phone numbers that were not identified as his to try to call me.
After a while of ignoring him, he stopped calling. But, the whole experience was rather strange and made me realize how easy it is for the Israelis to run a spy network (or a soft spy network) in the open.
So when I see stories like these, I'm not only not surprised but I'm wondering why there are not more of these published on the press.
edit some related news:
1 - An Israeli spy firm was reportedly hired to dig up dirt on ex-Obama aides involved in the Iran deal
- https://www.vox.com/world/2018/5/7/17327278/ben-rhodes-black...
2 - UK campaign to smear Corbyn. Note, the source here might be a biased here as they're fighting what they perceived to be Israeli occupation
- https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/new-chal...
3 - Additional reporting on Israeli spying on American citizens
- https://www.thenation.com/article/how-israel-spies-on-us-cit...
> When mysterious operatives lured two cybersecurity researchers to meetings at luxury hotels over the past two months How does one go about luring cybersecurity reaserchers? Surely a cybersecurity researcher is not you’re average mark? Luring is generally something an adversary does to an one who is unsuspecting. I wouldn’t go so far as to say the us of the word is dishonest, but it sure seems to be leaning toward h…
I recall reading a similar article regarding Citizen Lab where the researchers were also baited through interviews for new positions or capital/sponsorship in their relevant studies. Edit, found the previous HN article (this is the same article but on a different site, the NY Times article is no longer accessible): https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/citizen-lab-toronto-under... HN discussion: https://news.ycombinator…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Cube
https://www.timesofisrael.com/cambridge-analytica-linked-bus...
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5397148,00.html
Why am I not surprised that it's linked to Cambridge Analytica?
I personally was approached by what I now believe was an undercover spy agent in San Francisco. I believe he might have been Israeli. How we got there is a long story. But, the person (agent) came to a coffee shop that I frequented and made himself very visible talking audibly about certain areas that were my interest. I'm a very outgoing person so after over-hearing him by the second or third encounter there, I appr…
I personally was approached by what I now believe was an undercover spy agent in San Francisco. I believe he might have been Israeli. How we got there is a long story. But, the person (agent) came to a coffee shop that I frequented and made himself very visible talking audibly about certain areas that were my interest. I'm a very outgoing person so after over-hearing him by the second or third encounter there, I appr…
Sounds like he was just trying to hit on you.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
They got baited by the spies presenting themselves as investors, it fits imo. Furthermore I think people who are well-practiced in HUMINT and academics/researchers building up a legal case against a hacking group don't really overlap that much.
I don't know if a lot of academics/researchers would be able to explain even the basic concepts of "MICE" if asked. They're a soft target.
MICE: Money, Ideology, Compromise or Coercion (depending on source), and Ego or Extortion (depending on source).