Australian diplomats warned about use of LinkedIn and X
As ASIO raises the alarm on foreign spies using professional networking sites to recruit Australians, diplomats in overseas embassies have been put on notice.
Australian diplomats posted overseas have been warned against using several applications on their government-issued devices for fear of compromise from espionage and foreign interference attempts.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade recently raised concerns with embassy staff around the world about a number of applications including X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn, according to department sources who were not authorised to comment publicly.
The warning came days before ASIO director-general Mike Burgess on Wednesday night blew the cover on a foreign team of spies who have been trying to recruit Australians on professional networking sites and successfully recruited a former politician who attempted to target a prime minister’s relative.
A DFAT spokesperson said it was currently reviewing all applications on government-issued devices “to ensure they are secure and used in accordance with departmental policy”. DFAT will finalise a list of approved applications once the review is complete.
