the opinionist

As reported yesterday by the Washington Times and Reuters - Defense Security Service (DSS) Counterintelligence (CI) Office published an unclassified report on suspicious foreign activity with respect to U.S. personnel, technologies, classified technology and export-restricted products. This annual report - entitled ‘Technology Collection Trends in the U.S. Defense Industry - 2006‘ gives us a smörgåsbord of hack attempts, foreign national infiltration efforts and enough espionage activities to keep even Jack Bauer busy for a few hours.

Unlike Fox Broadcasting Company’s ‘24′ television show (season 6 starts January 14 on FOX) - you don’t have to be a member of CTU, the NSA or a White House assistant with a grudge to mix social circles with sexy foreign operatives! It appears foreign ‘entities’ are quite busy chasing non-military technologies also!

Suspicious Contact Reports (SCR’s) processed through DSS-CI increased 43% over 2005! Technology is the biggest attraction with the most focus on:

• Information Systems (21.8%)
  Lasers & Optics (10.7%)
  Aeronautics (9.7%)
  Sensors (9.5%)
  Armaments & Energetic Materials (9.2%)
  Electronics (6.6%)

This means your average Joe technology guru - complete with pen pocket protectors and Toyota Prius car keys - could be hit on at any time by a sexy seductress with surreptitious objectives.

What is fascinating is the origin of the nations supporting this espionage:

• 31% - East Asia & Pacific countries (erm, China anyone?)
  23% - Middle Eastern countries
  19% - European nations

Foreign visits by targeted U.S. corporations or Government officials appears high on the list of ‘Methods of Operation’. In other words - Mr. Innocent CIO for an aspiring technology company from Palo Alto might not want to leave his laptop unsecured whilst taking a shower before breakfast at the swank Peninsula Hotel in Shanghai!

If all this sounds far too ‘Cloak and Dagger’ read this excerpt from the report:

Targeting of U.S. Personnel Abroad.

This MO involves targeting U.S. defense contractor employees traveling overseas. Targeting can occur at airports and past techniques include luggage searches, unauthorized use of laptop computers, and extensive questioning beyond normal security measures. Other travelers have received excessively “helpful” service by host government representatives and hotel staff. It is important to recognize copiers and shredders can contain built-in scanners to copy data. Industry reporting also indicates foreign entities use … collection methods such as placing listening devices in rooms, searching hotel rooms, inspecting electronic equipment, and positioning people to eavesdrop on conversations.

Paranoia hits high gear! I’m not saying I’d enjoy being seduced by some beautiful Asian girl with ulterior motives but I might need to take some time checking my instincts before blowing the whistle - so to speak.

Jack, you lucky dog you!

• Source : Defense Security Service (DSS) Counterintelligence (CI) Report
• Report first published by Federation of American Scientists 

Posted on January 4th, 2007 under 24, China, Defense Security Service, Jack Bauer, counter-intelligence, hackers •  Email This Post • RSS 2.0 feed • Leave a response, or trackback