Australian ex-spies reveal identities on the web

PanARMENIAN.Net - Hundreds of ex-spies, and some current spooks, are posting about their work on social networking sites, it has been reported.

A Fairfax Media survey uncovered more than 200 Australian intelligence officers who had disclosed their classified employment on sites including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Many disclosed only the fact they had worked for agencies like the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation or Defence Signals Directorate, but others wrote about specific postings here and abroad, languages spoken, information systems used and liaison with allied agencies.

Fairfax quoted security experts who described the information as 'a gift for foreign espionage, especially through social engineering'.

Information technology professionals were the most likely to disclose their involvement in classified intelligence work, SkyNews reported citing Fairfax.