Espionage&

Espionage& delves into historical and contemporary espionage stories, exploring the complexities of global intelligence operations, spy tactics, significant defections, and the intersection of technology with espionage. It uncovers the hidden stories of famous spies, espionage operations, and the impact of intelligence failures on international relations.

Espionage and Intelligence Defection and Double Agents Military and Strategic Reconnaissance Cyber Espionage and Security Intelligence Agencies' Operations International Relations and Diplomacy Technology in Espionage Nuclear Espionage and Safeguards Civil and Military Aviation Naval and Aerial Warfare Domestic Security and Terrorism Humanitarian Operations Economic Aspects of Defense

The hottest Substack posts of Espionage&

And their main takeaways

Red Apollo and Operation Cloud Hopper

2 implied HN points β€’ 16 Jun 23
πŸ•Ή Technology Cybersecurity Espionage Malware
  1. Red Apollo conducted a technology theft campaign starting in 2006, targeting various sectors and institutions using spearphishing techniques.
  2. Operation Cloud Hopper, launched in 2014, expanded Red Apollo's activities to targeting a Managed Service Provider and client organizations in 12 countries.
  3. Red Apollo, also known as APT10, is a Chinese state-sponsored cyberespionage group involved in stealing confidential data and intellectual property.

Canadian intelligence's dirty little secret

1 implied HN point β€’ 21 Sep 23
🌍 World Politics Intelligence Terrorism Espionage Investigation Conspiracy
  1. Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) destroyed valuable tapes after an aircraft bombing investigation, hindering the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) inquiry.
  2. CSIS failed to cooperate with the RCMP investigation, leading to wasting time, energy, and pursuing wrong leads in the case.
  3. Surjan Singh Gill, an agent of CSIS and co-conspirator in the Air India bombings, was never charged, indicating possible malice in CSIS's actions.

The Vindication of Karen Silkwood β€” Final part

2 implied HN points β€’ 09 Dec 22
  1. Three different spy agencies were keeping tabs on Karen Silkwood when she died.
  2. The Justice Department got involved to cover up the radioactive mess surrounding Silkwood's death.
  3. Private investigators uncovered surveillance, intelligence networks, and potential government cover-ups in the case.

The Death of Karen Silkwood β€” Part One

2 implied HN points β€’ 28 Nov 22
  1. Karen Silkwood uncovered safety protocol violations and falsified quality control data at a plutonium plant.
  2. Silkwood faced personal struggles while advocating for workers' safety and quality control at the plant.
  3. Despite facing significant plutonium contamination, Silkwood collected evidence of wrongdoing before her mysterious death.
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The Panjshir Protocol

5 implied HN points β€’ 12 Sep 21
  1. The CIA and GID had a complex relationship during the Soviet Union's time in Afghanistan.
  2. Ahmad Shah Massoud faced challenges from ISI due to his independence, but he resiliently defended Panjshir Valley.
  3. There were reports of unidentified aircraft attacking Taliban positions in Panjshir Valley, leading to speculation about involvement of different forces.

The curious symmetry of Lt Col Zahir's disappearance

4 implied HN points β€’ 24 Nov 21
  1. Lt Col Zahir disappeared in events similar to a past operation he executed in 2016.
  2. Lt Col Zahir had a role in the abduction and tracking of Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav.
  3. Zahir's mysterious disappearance in Nepal had a strange symmetry with Lumbini's proximity to the Indian border.

Rabinder Singh, double agent

7 implied HN points β€’ 21 Sep 20
  1. Rabinder Singh was a double agent involved in espionage for CIA against R&AW, facing suspicions and investigations within his organization.
  2. Singh's early success in his espionage career came from procuring classified documents from a relative with connections to USAID, possibly serving as a cover for passing secrets to the CIA.
  3. Singh's defection to the US in 2004 led to a major fallout within R&AW, with investigations revealing potential loss of sensitive information and repercussions for officers connected to Singh.

FBI's cover-up β€” Karen Silkwood, part 2

1 implied HN point β€’ 05 Dec 22
  1. Karen Silkwood's death raised suspicions of a cover-up due to evidence suggesting foul play.
  2. Media attention revealed missing plutonium and fuel, sparking further investigations.
  3. Investigations by FBI and Department of Justice were criticized for inconsistencies and suspicions of covering up the truth.

Omnishambles in Kabul

3 implied HN points β€’ 17 Aug 21
  1. After US forces left Afghanistan, the Taliban regained control, leading to devastating consequences.
  2. Taliban are targeting Special Operations Forces, Pilots, and senior Afghan army commanders.
  3. The Taliban gained access to a biometric system, using it to target collaborators with the former Afghan government and USG.

Nobody really knew Rudolf Abel

5 implied HN points β€’ 27 Aug 20
  1. The mysterious identity of Rudolf Abel remained unknown to many.
  2. A hollow coin containing a cryptic message led to the unraveling of espionage activities.
  3. Rudolf Abel, also known as William Fisher, was a Soviet spy arrested in the United States in 1957.

COSMIC TOP SECRET

2 HN points β€’ 11 Jan 22
  1. The world came close to nuclear war in 1983 due to escalating tensions between the US and the Soviet Union.
  2. The Soviet Union had a computer model, VRYAN, to assess the threat of a nuclear attack from the US.
  3. A spy known as Agent Topaz provided critical intelligence to the Soviets, helping avert a potential nuclear conflict.

Decapitating strike that wasn't to be

2 implied HN points β€’ 23 Aug 21
  1. CIA missed the chance to kill Mullah Omar and Taliban leaders in 2001
  2. ISI tried to negotiate with Mullah Omar to give up Bin Laden
  3. CIA's request to bomb a madrassa to eliminate Omar was denied due to the risk to civilians

People's Republic of Big Data, circa 1952

3 implied HN points β€’ 16 Sep 20
  1. Chinese intelligence agencies have a long history of gathering information about foreign leaders and elites through various means.
  2. Even raw data collected by intelligence agencies can be valuable for disinformation and influence operations.
  3. Effective intelligence gathering does not always require explicit instructions and can be achieved through passive information collection.

Robbing the keeper of keys

2 implied HN points β€’ 27 May 21
  1. In 2011, Lockheed Martin and L-3 Communications were targeted in a major cyberattack.
  2. Two-factor authentication, like RSA's SecurID tokens, plays a crucial role in securing corporate networks.
  3. A security breach at RSA led to the theft of seed values and algorithms, allowing hackers to gain unauthorized access to other systems.

Blackbird, Foxbat, and Foxhound

3 implied HN points β€’ 07 Sep 20
  1. Strategic aerial reconnaissance played a significant role in spy operations during the Cold War, involving high-speed aircraft like the Blackbird and Foxbat.
  2. The Foxbat and its successor, the Foxhound, were developed by the Soviets as interceptors to counter American strategic bombers and reconnaissance aircraft like the Blackbird.
  3. A notable event in history involved a Soviet pilot defecting with a MiG-25 Foxbat to the United States, revealing surprising details about the aircraft's capabilities.

70,500 feet

3 implied HN points β€’ 31 Aug 20
  1. During the Cold War, the US developed the U-2 spy plane as a response to concerns about a possible Soviet bomber superiority.
  2. Francis Gary Powers, a U-2 pilot, was shot down by a Soviet missile in 1960 while flying over Soviet airspace, leading to his capture and a diplomatic incident.
  3. Powers faced scrutiny and accusations upon his return to the US, but was eventually exonerated and received military awards posthumously.

The Double Defector

3 implied HN points β€’ 25 Aug 20
  1. Vitaly Yurchenko defected back to the Soviet Union after defecting to the US, causing embarrassment for the CIA and FBI
  2. Yurchenko provided information about KGB assets and helped identify moles within the CIA
  3. The outcome of Yurchenko's defection is believed to have shielded a CIA mole and allowed Soviet counterintelligence to continue neutralizing CIA assets in the USSR

The Billion Dollar Spy

3 HN points β€’ 03 Aug 20
  1. Frustration led to missed espionage opportunities during the Cold War.
  2. Tolkachev's prolific production of intelligence helped the CIA gain crucial information on Soviet aircraft systems.
  3. Risks and betrayal eventually led to Tolkachev's arrest, but the intelligence he provided had a lasting impact on US military operations.

Invincible East Wind 東钨?

3 implied HN points β€’ 10 Jul 20
  1. China aggressively pursues control over the South China Sea, facing disputes from neighboring countries and resistance from the US Navy.
  2. The DF-21D and DF-26 ballistic missiles are China's 'carrier killer' weapons, capable of targeting ships at sea and territories like Guam.
  3. Countermeasures against the DF-21D and DF-26 include utilizing defense systems, jamming satellite guidance, and potential interception by missiles like SM-6 and SM-3.

Operation Salt Fish - Part One

2 implied HN points β€’ 16 Nov 20
  1. Israeli intelligence efforts to assassinate Arafat through airstrikes in Operation Salt Fish.
  2. Arafat's survival tactics included changing routines and spreading misinformation among his bodyguards.
  3. Aerial bombings led to an escalation of conflict between Israel, PLO, and Syria in Lebanon.

Codename: GARBO

2 implied HN points β€’ 01 Oct 20
  1. Juan Pujol GarcΓ­a was a double agent who spied for both Nazi Germany and Britain during World War II.
  2. Garcia's spy network, codenamed Arabel, was entirely fictional and created to deceive the Germans with misinformation and genuine low-value intelligence.
  3. Through Operation Fortitude, Garcia's deceptions misled the Germans about the Allied invasion plans, contributing significantly to the success of the D-Day landings.

How the cold war began

2 implied HN points β€’ 09 Sep 20
  1. Igor Gouzenko triggered the Cold War by defecting from the Soviet Union to Canada, exposing Soviet espionage operations.
  2. His defection led to the arrest of Soviet spies in Canada and the UK, impacting the nuclear weapons programs of these countries.
  3. Gouzenko's revelations started the Cold War, exposing the extent of Soviet intelligence penetration in western governments.

The Oxcart

2 implied HN points β€’ 03 Sep 20
  1. The Oxcart was a highly advanced aircraft capable of flying at incredible speeds and altitudes.
  2. The CIA's U-2 flights were eventually detected and tracked by the Soviets, leading to the need for a new, stealthier aircraft.
  3. Operation Black Shield involved using the Oxcart for reconnaissance missions that provided critical intelligence, but the program was eventually terminated with the arrival of the SR-71s.

Abdul Qadeer Khan, nuclear proliferator extraordinaire

1 implied HN point β€’ 11 Oct 21
  1. Abdul Qadeer Khan was a notorious nuclear weapons proliferator.
  2. The spy thriller 'Let Bhutto Eat Grass' features Abdul Qadeer Khan.
  3. The novel series follows Indian intelligence professionals tracking Pakistan's nuclear weapons technology theft.

Humanitarian Spies β€” Part One

2 implied HN points β€’ 18 Aug 20
  1. The Mossad undertook risky missions in Sudan to rescue Ethiopian Jewish refugees.
  2. Procuring a suitable vehicle for the desert journey was a significant challenge for the operatives.
  3. Operatives faced interrogation and cleverly navigated through tricky situations to accomplish their mission.

Tata WhAP vs ICV Stryker

2 implied HN points β€’ 07 Aug 20
  1. The WhAP program costs $2.96 billion less than the Stryker.
  2. The WhAP costs an average of $4.02 million per unit, while Stryker costs $6.14 million.
  3. Government spends $3.25 billion less on the WhAP program than on the Stryker, factoring in taxes.

Domestic Military-Industrial Complex - Part Two

2 implied HN points β€’ 04 Aug 20
  1. The simulation compares the economic benefits of procuring the MBT Arjun Mk.1A vs the T-90MS.
  2. Taxes collected from the domestic supply chain of the Arjun would fund incremental procurement, R&D, and border infrastructure improvement.
  3. Procuring the Arjun Mk.1A would lead to significant economic activity and investment in fixed assets.

Domestic Military-Industrial Complex

2 implied HN points β€’ 27 Jul 20
  1. Investing in domestic products can provide potential benefits compared to ordering from other countries.
  2. Calculating costs and growth over time shows the impact of investing in domestic military-industrial complex.
  3. Increasing indigenisation can lead to reduced costs, increased economic activity, and strategic advantages.

Fake pilots of Pakistan International Airlines

2 implied HN points β€’ 01 Jul 20
  1. 260 out of 860 active pilots in Pakistan had cheated on exams or had fake licenses.
  2. European Union banned PIA flights due to concerns about pilot license validity.
  3. The scandal highlights the close ties between Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan International Airlines, leading to serious repercussions.

Surender Jeet Singh v. John Ashcroft, Attorney General

1 implied HN point β€’ 15 Dec 20
  1. Surender Jeet Singh sought asylum in the US after leaving R&AW due to moral concerns.
  2. The US authorities doubted the existence of R&AW, creating hurdles in Singh's asylum case.
  3. Singh's defection led to a tragic life marked by betrayal and an untimely end.

Iranian scientists & assassinations

1 implied HN point β€’ 30 Nov 20
  1. Mossad reportedly assassinated at least 6 Iranian scientists involved in nuclear projects.
  2. Meir Dagan initiated a multi-pronged approach targeting Iran's scientists to disrupt their nuclear weapons project.
  3. State collaboration and sabotage efforts like Stuxnet were used to hinder Iran's uranium enrichment facilities.

Operation Salt Fish - Conclusion

1 implied HN point β€’ 23 Nov 20
  1. Military ethics and conscience can conflict in decision-making.
  2. International perception is crucial in military operations.
  3. Operational plans can face obstacles and changes due to various factors.

Operation Salt Fish - Part Two

1 implied HN point β€’ 17 Nov 20
  1. Events during Operation Salt Fish did not go as planned, leading to a civil war in Lebanon.
  2. Ethical concerns regarding civilian casualties caused tensions within the military chain of command.
  3. Raful Eitan joined a bombing sortie, but Arafat narrowly escaped the attack.

Mission Impossible in 1970s Moscow

1 implied HN point β€’ 19 Oct 20
  1. A husband and wife spy team used high-tech face masks and low-tech tradecraft in 1970s Moscow.
  2. CIA operations involved eavesdropping on communications by using underground ducts and advanced devices.
  3. The CIA eventually had to discontinue a five-year operation due to it being compromised.

The headless Frogman

1 HN point β€’ 08 Oct 20
  1. MI6 attempted an underwater espionage mission on a Soviet cruiser in 1956.
  2. Commander Lionel Crabb went missing during a covert dive in Portsmouth, stirring up a major espionage mystery.
  3. The body of a headless frogman found later sparked conspiracy theories including Soviet involvement and cover-ups.

Humanitarian Spies β€” Part Three

1 implied HN point β€’ 24 Aug 20
  1. The Mossad operated a tourist resort in Sudan to facilitate espionage activities.
  2. A Holocaust survivor volunteered for the Mossad mission out of a sense of duty.
  3. A misunderstanding during an exfiltration mission in Sudan led to a humorous confrontation and averted disaster.

Humanitarian Spies β€” Part Two

1 implied HN point β€’ 19 Aug 20
  1. Rescuing refugees in hostile environments is challenging
  2. Efforts may be needed to set up necessary infrastructure for rescue missions
  3. Covert operations require strategic planning and coordination for success

Modelling economies of scale

1 implied HN point β€’ 06 Aug 20
  1. The '0.6 rule' is used to approximate economies of scale in simulations.
  2. The value of 'Ξ±' below 1 implies increasing economies of scale.
  3. The simulation adjusts 'Ξ±' over time to model economies of scale in procurement.

40 years of hybrid war against India

1 implied HN point β€’ 02 Jul 20
  1. Pakistan has been engaging in multi-dimensional hostility against India for over 40 years through Diplomatic, Information, Military, and Economic Warfare.
  2. Hybrid warfare involves a combination of conventional military forces and irregulars, covert operations, aggressive disinformation, and more to achieve political purposes.
  3. Pakistan's hybrid warfare against India includes military tactics, diplomatic maneuvers, information warfare on social media, and economic measures like funding terrorism through illicit means.