MI6 launches dark web portal to attract spies – including Russians – Tech Digest

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MI6, the UK’s Secret Intelligence Service, has launched a new dark web portal to attract and communicate with potential spies, with a specific focus on recruiting individuals from Russia.

The secure messaging platform, named “Silent Courier,” represents a major digital expansion of the agency’s recruitment efforts and a strategic move to strengthen national security.

The portal is designed to make it easier and safer for people to pass on sensitive information without fear of being compromised. The Foreign Office stated that the initiative is critical for ensuring the UK remains “one step ahead of our adversaries.”

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper underscored the importance of the new technology, saying: “As the world changes, and the threats we’re facing multiply, we must ensure the UK is always one step ahead of our adversaries… Now we’re bolstering their efforts with cutting-edge tech so MI6 can recruit new spies for the UK – in Russia and around the world.”

The agency hopes to attract anyone with information relating to terrorism or hostile intelligence activities. Instructions for securely using the portal will be publicly available on MI6’s verified YouTube channel, with recommendations to use trustworthy VPNs and devices not linked to the user’s identity.

The launch of the portal was announced by the outgoing MI6 chief, Sir Richard Moore, during a speech in Istanbul. This move follows a similar approach by the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), which used social media to target potential Russian spies in 2023.

The new platform allows the UK to safely reach out to potential agents in areas where face-to-face contact would be too risky, opening up a new front in modern espionage.

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