Live data from Hacker News

Chief U.S. spy catcher says China using LinkedIn to recruit Americans

reuters.com

21–30 of 120 posts

Re: Chief U.S. spy catcher says China using LinkedIn to recruit Americans

#21
There are so many unintended consequences of the internet as we know it today. This, fake news, forums that close because their moderators don't want to cope with the terrible stuff, and on and on.

When it was just computer science departments and a few tech companies, it was mostly OK. With a good portion of humanity online... wow.

Re: Chief U.S. spy catcher says China using LinkedIn to recruit Americans

#22

I found it interesting that the espionage is largely aimed at the private sector and not the government: > About 70 percent of China’s overall espionage is aimed at the U.S. private sector, rather than the government, said Joshua Skule, the head of the FBI’s intelligence division, which is charged with countering foreign espionage in the United States. > “They are conducting economic espionage at a rate that is unpar…

Think of a scenario where certain government employees have accounts on some Private sector service: Maybe a Grindr or Tinder -- if they can work to obtain any sort of compromising information from those services - they can then use it to manipulate government employees ("Do what I say, or i'll out you")... In fact, pretty sure a Chinese co. recently obtained controlling interest of Grindr. https://www.nytimes.com/20…

> Maybe a Grindr

Which is owned by a mainland Chinese firm [1].

[1] https://money.cnn.com/2016/01/12/technology/grindr-china-bei...

Re: Chief U.S. spy catcher says China using LinkedIn to recruit Americans

#23
Anyone contacted by China and considering an offer of money under the table for a small "harmless" disclosure should remember that they killed at least 12 CIA sources between 2010 and 2012 [0]

State craft is not for amateurs and sources on both sides routinely get hung out to dry. Think of your family. Do not play this game.

0: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/20/world/asia/china-cia-spie...

Re: Chief U.S. spy catcher says China using LinkedIn to recruit Americans

#24
post #21

There are so many unintended consequences of the internet as we know it today. This, fake news, forums that close because their moderators don't want to cope with the terrible stuff, and on and on. When it was just computer science departments and a few tech companies, it was mostly OK. With a good portion of humanity online... wow.

It definitely feels like a deal with the devil sometimes.

Re: Chief U.S. spy catcher says China using LinkedIn to recruit Americans

#25
post #21

There are so many unintended consequences of the internet as we know it today. This, fake news, forums that close because their moderators don't want to cope with the terrible stuff, and on and on. When it was just computer science departments and a few tech companies, it was mostly OK. With a good portion of humanity online... wow.

I remember the internet in 90s being full of spam, popups that would crash your computer and viruses everywhere. Even before mass adoption it was still a cesspool. I am envious of anyone who got to experience the internet in its infancy

Re: Chief U.S. spy catcher says China using LinkedIn to recruit Americans

#26

Honestly, I’d do anything to die in the hellish fury of a nuclear blast, as it destroys an entire city. I was really disappointed in Kim Jong Un caving on his threats. I’ll do anything to ratchet up tensions and provoke a nuclear exchange. Where do I sign up?

So much edge I cut myself

Re: Chief U.S. spy catcher says China using LinkedIn to recruit Americans

#27
post #2

New InMail “Hi I saw your profile and it looked really interesting, have you considered a new oppprtinity in espionage and treason? Can we setup a phone call to discuss?”

Your colleagues have endorsed your skills in "Java", "Spring framework", "proposal writing", and "violent overthrow of the United States government".

Re: Chief U.S. spy catcher says China using LinkedIn to recruit Americans

#28
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US, Germany, and Japan are all technology leaders. None of those nations leapfrogged into a developed nation by copying others.

Ah yeah, I remember reading about that in my American History textbook! We started the industrial revolution right after we signed the declaration of independence, it was the British who copied us .

[deleted]

Re: Chief U.S. spy catcher says China using LinkedIn to recruit Americans

#29
> "I recently saw that Twitter is cancelling, I don’t know, millions of fake accounts, and our request would be maybe LinkedIn could go ahead and be part of that"

Wow. Strong language from the head of the U.S. National Counter-Intelligence and Security Center

Re: Chief U.S. spy catcher says China using LinkedIn to recruit Americans

#30

I found it interesting that the espionage is largely aimed at the private sector and not the government: > About 70 percent of China’s overall espionage is aimed at the U.S. private sector, rather than the government, said Joshua Skule, the head of the FBI’s intelligence division, which is charged with countering foreign espionage in the United States. > “They are conducting economic espionage at a rate that is unpar…

Think of a scenario where certain government employees have accounts on some Private sector service: Maybe a Grindr or Tinder -- if they can work to obtain any sort of compromising information from those services - they can then use it to manipulate government employees ("Do what I say, or i'll out you")... In fact, pretty sure a Chinese co. recently obtained controlling interest of Grindr. https://www.nytimes.com/20…

We can inoculate ourselves to this threat by not caring about what politicians, government workers, and other people in general do in their private romantic lives.
Post reply on HN