Espionage operations targeting laid off feds

The widespread layoffs and resignations unfolding across the federal government represent a prime opportunity for foreign spy agencies. In an April bulletin, the National Counterintelligence and Security Center warned that foreign intelligence organizations are targeting current and former U.S. government employees by posing as consulting firms, corporate headhunters and other job opportunities.

Max Lesser, a senior analyst on emerging threats for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, recently uncovered a likely Chinese intelligence operation that targets laid off federal employees using fake consulting firms. I spoke with Max about how he investigated the operation and what feds, current and former, should look out for when they’re scrolling LinkedIn and online job boards. 

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