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When an Economic Crisis Collides With an Unprecedented Espionage Threat

undefined and VP of Tactical Analysis
Scott Stewart
VP of Tactical Analysis, Stratfor

Apr 14, 2020 | 11:00 GMT

(Blue Planet Studio/SHUTTERSTOCK)

Highlights

  • While the measures to combat COVID-19 have impacted the ability of intelligence officers to meet with sources and recruitment targets, the number of unemployed people represents a rich universe of potential targets. 
  • The crisis has done nothing to decrease the appetite of hostile intelligence services and competing companies for corporate secrets. If anything, that appetite might increase during these hard economic times.
  • All this is happening during a time when security budgets are likely to be slashed, leading to an incredible challenge for those charged with protecting company secrets.

I've seen a number of news reports discussing how the lockdowns and travel bans resulting from COVID-19 are hindering the ability of intelligence officers to do their jobs by preventing them from being able to conduct in-person source meets. The inability to conduct face-to-face source meets, and to make personal contact with recruitment targets to develop relationships with them, is a valid concern. I would like to suggest, however, that the economic crisis resulting from COVID-19 will also provide intelligence officers a golden opportunity to spot and recruit new agents....

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