We, who protect classified programs and activities, often make one general assumption. We assume if we can account for everything that we hold that is classified, we’re good to go. No lost documents? Check. No compromised classified movements? Check. No apparent compromise of our computer systems? Check. The list can go on. Of course, as recent espionage cases reveal, often spies aren’t there to steal anything. They are there to influence. They want to influence our political, economic, and business policies. In fact, name a policy discipline, and they have been known to try to compromise our very decision-making at every level.
More than one example
Take for instance the recent arrests in New York. Linda Sun was arrested as an alleged spy for the People’s Republic of China (PRC). She worked for a decade for Governor Cuomo and then his follower, Governor Hochul. Sun’s job was to influence how New York, one of the wealthiest states in America, interacted with the PRC’s arch-rival, Taiwan. Sun’s job was not to steal anything. Rather she was to see to it that favorable bills and policies were passed which supported China in preference to Taiwan. She ensured written presentations at various forums were pro-PRC, the better to influence businessmen to decide in favor of that Communist country.
The same happened with Ana Montes, a spy in our Defense Intelligence Service who worked secretly for decades for the Cuban Intelligence Service. From her high position at the DIA, she was able to write policy, advise on decisions, and even know the classified plans dealing with the Cuban dictatorship.
It gets more sinister. Today, we have the Department of Justice, indeed the very Attorney General of the United States, denouncing what our government discovered to be another attempt by Russia to influence our national election. This time, Russia money-laundered some ten million dollars to an American firm in Tennessee. This company would then manipulate influencers to communicate messages favorable to Russia, or against Ukraine.
Knowledge is power
Often, we believe our programs are so low on the world stage that we can’t imagine anyone wanting to block our progress. This is not true. Any device, or plan, which the Federal government classifies has significant value to our national defense. Consider, if you read the definition of Top Secret, you will see that anyone who accesses that has information critical to the success or failure of our country. It reads, “Top Secret shall be applied to information, the unauthorized disclosure of which reasonably could be expected to cause ‘exceptionally grave damage’ to the National Security that the original classification authority is able to identify or describe.”
In fact, we even need to be aware of new dimensions as a result of a lot of recent spying. Electrical grids are targeted daily in Ukraine. This would defeat even the most robust defense of a nation. We need to ensure that our infrastructure which keeps our programs going is secure. And doubly secure. What are the backup systems if our power goes down? Same with our gasoline and oil. Remember the massive loss of control over our huge oil line across the entire Southeast due to computer failures? What does this mean to us who guard our classified?
Remote access to the ‘remote’
Take for instance a recent revelation. It seems that the North Koreans have discovered ways to infiltrate our ‘work at home’ systems. It is unknown how many, but the federal investigators believe they’ve infiltrated over 300 companies. They also believe they have made some seven million dollars for the dictator Kim Jong Un. Can you imagine? Numerous North Koreans have been given jobs to work from home for major American companies. Could one of them be working for you? How would you know? How can you check? This is a clarion call to contact your local FBI. If you are on a military base, check with your supporting defense intelligence personnel. The world is different today, and the threats are no longer the spy taking the document and going home to photograph it. Now they might insert a complete spyware code that could be activated in time of crisis. They could steal your information quite literally every day. Find out.
Yes, this is a new, hybrid secret contest. The WhisperGate attacks in January 2022 could be considered Russia’s first shot in the war, said William DelBagno, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Baltimore field office. The cyberattacks penetrated U.S. companies and targeted Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure and computer systems…all unrelated to defense, including the judiciary, emergency services, food safety, and education, officials said. We need to watch so much more.
