China's old-school spy tactics are alive and well
China and Russia have long used so-called honeypot operations.
TL;DR
- China's espionage playbook includes cultivating personal relationships with powerful Americans.
- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is reportedly being investigated for an affair with a suspected Chinese spy.
- China targets congressmen, business executives, C-suite individuals, and former military personnel.
- Beijing has a history of using personal connections for espionage, beyond cyber hacking.
- Economic intelligence is a highly valuable target for China.
- Honeypot operations, involving romantic or sexual relationships, are used by China and Russia to gain access to information or influence targets.
- Awareness of these personal espionage tactics is less consistent outside of the defense community.
- Influencing behavior often requires a more personal, in-person connection than cyber intrusion.