The CIA has taken steps to assist individuals in North Korea, Iran, and China who wish to provide information to intelligence officials without risking their safety. Posting online guidelines in Korean, Mandarin, and Farsi, the agency aims to make it easier and more secure for potential informants to contact the US intelligence community.
The instructions outline various methods for reaching the CIA, including its public website and the darknet, which requires special tools to access while maintaining anonymity. This initiative follows similar guidance provided in Russian two years ago after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The CIA emphasised its commitment to engaging with individuals worldwide and ensuring their safety when reaching out.
Tips shared through text-only videos and infographics advise using virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass internet restrictions and surveillance. The agency also recommends using untraceable devices, private web browsers, and deleting internet history to avoid detection. The messages were disseminated on multiple platforms like Telegram, YouTube, X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, despite some being blocked in the target countries.
Authoritarian regimes often employ internet surveillance to monitor citizens and spread propaganda while restricting access to certain information. By utilising VPNs and similar tools, individuals can circumvent these controls, though caution is advised. The CIA reminded potential sources of the importance of selecting secure VPN providers not based in countries unfriendly to the United States such as China, Iran, or Russia.
Overall, the CIA’s efforts aim to facilitate secure communication with informants in challenging environments and provide them with the necessary tools to share vital information without jeopardising their safety. This proactive approach underscores the agency’s commitment to gathering intelligence from diverse sources while prioritising the protection of those who choose to cooperate.