The US National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) warned on Tuesday (April 8) that Chinese intelligence agencies are using fake job opportunities and social media platforms to recruit current and former employees of the US government in an attempt to obtain sensitive information.
According to the joint announcement released by NCSC, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), foreign intelligence agencies, particularly those from China, are targeting current and former individuals with US government backgrounds, disguising themselves as consulting firms, talent acquisition companies, think tanks, or other entities, reaching out to targets through social and professional networking platforms.
The announcement cautioned that these online recruitment operations are becoming increasingly sophisticated, targeting individuals with government backgrounds who are actively seeking new job opportunities.
It also reminded that even after leaving their positions, former government personnel holding security clearances still have a legal obligation to protect classified information.
“Current and former federal employees should be vigilant and aware of the potential consequences of such forms of contact,” the announcement stated.
The announcement highlighted the increasingly complex and deceptive online recruitment tactics employed by Chinese or other foreign espionage agencies. They often lure individuals with US government backgrounds seeking new positions by offering remote or flexible work with overly generous salary conditions, creating seemingly “too good to be true” job opportunities to attract their targets.
These recruiters typically show an exceptionally high level of enthusiasm in a short time and are eager to shift conversations from public platforms to encrypted ones.
During the interactions, they employ excessive flattery, portraying the target as a “top candidate” and emphasizing the exclusive high-end nature of the opportunity, further lowering the target’s defenses.
Initially, these recruiters may only request seemingly harmless reports, but as the cooperation progresses, they gradually guide the target towards providing content involving non-public or sensitive information, potentially involving national security or classified domains.
The announcement particularly pointed out that these recruiters may disguise themselves as legitimate companies from “non-threatening countries” to lower the victims’ guard.
As this warning was issued, Elon Musk, Senior Advisor to President Trump and billionaire, is leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in implementing intensive federal agency reductions. This could potentially provide more opportunities for Chinese and other foreign espionage agencies.
The announcement called on all US government departments to reiterate confidentiality obligations when employees leave, prevent the leakage of sensitive information, and provide support in terms of psychological, financial, and career guidance to reduce the risk of being targeted by foreign intelligence agencies.
NCSC advised that current and former government employees should regularly review their social media privacy settings to avoid disclosing their job duties or security clearance information publicly. US government employees should report to the HR department and obtain approval before accepting any external job invitations.
NCSC further warned that individuals who notice any suspicious recruitment activities should immediately report them to the FBI.