The security expert on spies: “Many undisclosed”

About 60 people have been arrested for illegal intelligence activities in Europe in the last ten years.

But according to security advisor Carolina Angelis, there are many that have yet to be revealed.

– It happens and it is important that we understand that it exists. If not, we have a hard time discovering it, she says.

Just days before the trial against the suspected spy brothers from Uppsala is to begin, two more people have been arrested on suspicion of having conducted illegal intelligence activities in Sweden.

It concerns a Russian couple in their 60s, who ran a business in the import and export business.

In addition to those arrested in Sweden, around 60 people have been deprived of their liberty in Europe during the past ten years or so. About 40 of them have so far been convicted of crimes related to illegal intelligence activities.

But according to Carolina Angelis, a consultant at the cyber security company Truesec, there are significantly more people who are active and have not yet been revealed.

– There are many cases that have already been revealed in Europe, but it is believed that there is a large dark figure. Although we have good security services in Europe, it is difficult to detect this type of activity, and it takes time to gather evidence, she says.

Increasing security threats – less cautious

The fact that suspected cases of espionage appear is due to a number of different things, according to Carolina Angelis. Partly it is about the people being more active now, partly about the fact that the intelligence threat has grown in recent years.

– It could also be that you have become more careless now. You need to get information faster because of the security policy situation, she continues.

Another thing that can affect more cases being revealed now is that authorities are more open about what and who they reveal.

– Because it happened more in the dark when this type of spy business was revealed, while it is more often disclosed in the media now.

Often earns smaller sums

There are several ways to conduct intelligence gathering in Sweden, according to Angelis.

Partly through intelligence officers with diplomatic immunity working in embassies, but also illegalists and NOCs working for a foreign power, despite the fact that they receive no support from the home country if they are exposed.

– NOC stands for “Non official cover” and it means that you are an intelligence officer and work for another country’s intelligence service, without clear connections, says Carolina Angelis.

However, how much people earn can vary greatly, according to Carolina Angelis.

– The arrangements can vary, but it is about the person getting paid in connection with the disclosure of information. How often this happens, and what kind of information it involves, matters, she says, and continues:

– Many people have the impression that it is quite a lot of money, but in some cases it can be as little as SEK 30,000. It may not sound like a lot of money, but then you have to remember that it could be people who are already in a difficult financial position.

Important to be vigilant

In general, private individuals are not affected by this type of arrest. However, Carolina Angelis says that it is important to be vigilant and attentive to this type of activity.

– When cases like these are discovered, it hopefully leads to a higher awareness. Illegal intelligence has been used since time immemorial and will continue to do so. We have a great naiveté in Sweden, where people think that this kind of thing doesn’t happen, or something that we think only happens in movies, she says, and continues:

– But it happens and it is important that we understand it exists. If not, we have a hard time detecting it.

Curious about spies and illegal intelligence?

Ask your question to Carolina Angelis, an advisor at the cybersecurity company Truesec, who will answer reader questions at 1 p.m.

You can ask your question right now.