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Britain's Technology Arms Race With Terrorists

Britain's Technology Arms Race With Terrorists

British intelligence agencies are engaged in a "technology arms race" with terrorists and cyber criminals, the head of MI6 has warned.

Alex Younger chose to focus on the threat of cyber terrorism in his first public comments since taking over last year as the chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), or MI6.

Speaking at an event in London's Whitehall, Mr Younger said his agents are up against opponents "unconstrained by consideration of ethics and law" who are seeking to put them and the country at risk.

He praised the fact that technological developments had allowed traditional human espionage to become increasingly intertwined with "technical operations".

"Using data appropriately and proportionately offers us a priceless opportunity to be even more deliberate and targeted in what we do, and so be better at protecting our agents and this country," he said.

He added that technological advances have also created new vulnerabilities which "terrorists, malicious actors in cyber space and criminals" are increasingly taking advantage of.

"The bad news is the same technology in opposition hands, an opposition often unconstrained by consideration of ethics and law, allows them to see what we are doing and to put our people and agents at risk.

"So we find ourselves in a technology arms race.

"Contrary to myth, human intelligence operations are not an alternative to technical operations - the two are interdependent and set to become more so."

Mr Younger described the threat faced by his agents as the "dark side of globalisation".

The event marked the unveiling of an English Heritage plaque to honour Sir Mansfield Cumming, the founder of the SIS.