A saboteurs’ attempt to destroy an enemy’s economic targets is classified as Espionage. Espionage involves gathering military, political, and commercial information from people who do not openly share it. 심부름센터
Although some of the thrills and excitement of espionage have been lost with technological advances, human intelligence gathering remains an essential part of statecraft. Learn about a variety of spying techniques and famous spies.
History
Ancient civilizations developed spy networks to ferret out disloyal subjects and locate tribes that could be conquered or enslaved. Later, Roman and medieval empires developed vast intelligence-gathering organizations. Technological developments in the Renaissance improved espionage tradecraft. Small firearms facilitated cloak and dagger operations; advances in telescopes, cameras, and the camera obscura made it easier to spy remotely; and the development of complex mathematics revived encryption and code methods that had been dormant since Antiquity.
In modern times, espionage has evolved into a highly specialized, technical field. It has been a major undertaking for most nations, particularly in the era of the Cold War, when two hostile superpowers fought for control of the world.
Espionage has also been a major subject of fiction, beginning with Erskine Childers’ The Riddle of the Sands and continuing with such novels as The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré. Famous spies include Guy Burgess of Great Britain, who defected to the Soviet Union in 1951; Robert Lee Johnson of the Soble spy ring; and Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, who were executed for passing secrets on the Manhattan project.
Techniques
Despite ubiquitous surveillance and fancy gadgets, simple tricks still work to help spies and criminals evade detection. For example, a fake rock in a park can hide electronic communication devices. Or, in a nod to the olden days, an agent can pass information clandestinely by writing on and resealing envelopes with invisible ink.
Adversaries use a variety of social engineering techniques to exploit their targets’ excitement, curiosity, empathy or fear. They may also trick them into sharing personal information, clicking malicious links or downloading malware.
Spies live in a society where masses of information are accessible through government and private publications, business and scientific conferences and industrial expositions. In addition, many industries have weak internal-control procedures that allow spies or their collaborators to steal blueprints, design plans and pieces of equipment. Mandiant’s 2024 Global Threat Report reveals that adversaries are using increasingly agile, stealthy and difficult-to-attribute tactics. These include living off the land techniques, software supply chain compromise and fileless malware.
Legality
The nature of espionage makes it difficult to define, and there are no set rules on what constitutes the practice. A few notable examples include the 1917 Espionage Act, which was passed shortly before US involvement in WWI and resulted in the convictions of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for giving nuclear secrets to the Soviet Union; and Wikileaks’ release of classified documents, leading to charges against Julian Assange.
However, it is easy to find examples of espionage in everyday life as well. Whether or not it is illegal, the practice has been widespread throughout history, with governments stealing formulas, manufacturing methods, and other information to undercut their economic rivals. Some scholars argue that a State’s sovereignty limits espionage, arguing that the practice violates a country’s territorial integrity. This argument, though a bit speculative, is further supported by the fact that international law prohibits States from violating the territorial sovereignty of other nations. However, the final paragraph of Article 70 of the Espionage Law’s closing’supplemental provisions’ argues that even activities not directly related to espionage may be punished or prevented if they endanger national security.
Ethics
In recent years, there has been much discussion about the ethics of espionage. Some argue that the act is immoral because it violates a state’s sovereignty. Others point out that espionage often results in the theft of intellectual property, thereby harming businesses and consumers. The practice is also problematic because it has the potential to turn neutral nations into hostile ones. According to customary international humanitarian law, if an individual is caught spying in the course of a war, they cannot be convicted or punished without a fair trial (GCIII Art. 5).
Still other people have argued that, given the circumstances of war, states do have moral permission, and at times even a duty, to conduct intelligence operations. However, it is important that intelligence professionals train to ensure that their methods are ethically sound and do not compromise the privacy of innocent individuals. They must also consider whether a person is a legitimate target of spying.