The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has reacted to a report claiming that Chinese and Russian operatives are targeting the American tech industry through seduction and deception. Sharing a screenshot of The Times (UK) report titled “Female spies are waging ‘sex warfare’ to steal Silicon Valley secrets,” Musk added a reference to a popular meme, writing, “If she’s a 10, you’re an asset.”
Silicon Valley, home to major tech companies like Apple, Google, and Facebook, has long been a hub for innovation and cutting-edge technology. The report alleges that China and Russia are sending attractive women to seduce tech workers, sometimes even marrying them and having children, in order to gain access to sensitive information. “It’s the Wild West out there,” the report said.
James Mulvenon, chief intelligence officer at Pamir Consulting, a firm that helps American companies assess risks when dealing with China, told The Times that he was recently targeted by women working as spies. These women allegedly tried to use romantic or sexual tactics to obtain secret US technology information.
The report also claims that China has been organising startup competitions in the US to allegedly steal business ideas. Some experts say these efforts could damage the US tech ecosystem.
Earlier this year, a US House committee warned that China’s Communist Party had been linked to more than 60 spying cases in the US over the last four years. A former intelligence officer suggested the actual number could be much higher.
“China is targeting our startups, our academic institutions, our innovators, our DoD-funded research projects. But there’s not enough oversight and action,” said Jeff Stoff, a security academic and former China and national security analyst for the US government.
US officials also warned that this so-called “sex warfare” is more than casual flirtation. In some cases, spies have married US targets in the defense and tech sectors to gather information over the long term.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
