Human Intelligence in the Digital Age: Speech by SIS Chief Richard Moore Summary

Overview & Summary

The speech covered the seismic changes identified by SIS in the world, placing a lot of focus on the espionage environment. Specifically, this includes China, Russia and Iran which are three of the “Big Four” priorities for the intelligence community currently. The speech also covered the way the UK is responding to the fourth priority – the shape-shifting threat of international terrorism.

The speech also touches on the existing challenges which the UK is facing, referencing the growing threat from state actors and adversaries who are encountering fewer constraints. The UK is also facing transnational challenges, ranging from climate change to a global pandemic which have, in turn, generated renewed demand for global cooperation and security. The speech also notes that advances in emerging technologies and engineered biology will change entire industries due to the huge volume of data now available globally and the new opportunities arising from increased computing power and advances in data science for both industries and individuals.  

Key Points: The Big “Four”

1. China: The tectonic plates are shifting as China’s power and its willingness to assert it, grows.

Adapting to a world affected by the rise of China is the single greatest priority for SIS. This is not solely through understanding China and its decision making, but also the ability to operate undetected as a secret intelligence agency everywhere within the global surveillance web.

• China is an authoritarian state with different values to those of the UK, which are being reflected in the threats we see emanating from the Chinese state.
• The Chinese Intelligence Services are highly capable and continue to conduct large scale espionage operations against the UK and its allies, whilst also exploiting the open nature of our society.
• China’s growing military strength paired with The Chinese Communist Party’s leadership is increasingly bold and forceful, posing a serious challenge to global stability.
• Technologies of control and surveillance are increasingly being exported to other governments by China which expands the web of authoritarian control globally.

2. Russia: The continuous acute threat from Russia.

The spectrum of threats Russia poses range from state-sanctioned attacks as seen in Salisbury and the Czech Republic; interference in democratic processes such as the attempted coup in Montenegro; cyber-attacks such as the SolarWinds intrusion; or the use of political proxies to undermine stability in the Western Balkans. The UK and its allies must stand up and deter Russian activity which contravenes the rules-based international system.

• Russian state activities are transitioning from the typical covert or atleast deniable pursuits to more brazen activity – the poisoning of Alexey Navalny being a core example of this.
• Russia should be in no doubt of the UK’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and its internationally recognised borders.
• No country should be seduced into thinking that unbalanced concessions to Russia bring better behaviour. 

3. Iran: in the context of the state-level challenge, the Iranian leadership has embraced an explicit doctrine of conflict.

• Hezbollah, incubated in Lebanon, was Iran’s first foreign insurgent force which has grown to contribute directly to state weakness and political turmoil in Lebanon.
• This model has been replicated in Iraq where Iran has exploited a fragile transition to democracy by arming the country with gangs who are undermining the state from within.
• Iran’s cyber capabilities are now substantial, and the UK and its allies are experiencing threats from the development of nuclear technology which has no conceivable civilian use.

4. International Terrorism: stopping the re-emergence of large-scale international terrorist operations and protecting the UK homeland and its citizens.

• Terrorist networks have spread in the Middle East, the Sahel, Sub Saharan Africa and beyond.
• The home-grown threat of terrorism – with the attendant difficulty of disrupting lone wolf attacks – means that some attacks are unfortunately always likely to get through.
• The morale boost which the Taliban victory in Afghanistan has given to the extremist movement globally is evident, with the potential emboldening effect on three of the four big priorities for the UK. 
• The threat the UK faces will likely grow following the withdrawal from Afghanistan, with Al Qaeda and Daesh seeking to increase their foothold whilst rebuilding their ability to strike Western targets.
• The UK Intelligence Community (UKIC) will now aim to protect the homeland and its citizens from the ‘outside in’, a task which relies extensively on regional partnerships and coordination with allies.

The context in which the UK must confront these “Big Four” challenges is within the global digital environment. As highlighted in the government’s Integrated Review, published in March of this year, science and technology are of highest importance to the UK’s national security, and we need to shape international norms in collaboration with allies and partners.

An intelligence service needs to be at the vanguard of what is technologically possible, however this is nothing new. What is new is that the SIS is now pursuing partnerships with the tech community to help develop world-class technologies which solve the biggest problems. SIS has traditionally relied on its own capabilities to develop world-class technologies which it needs to stay secret and deliver against its own mission, however it recognises it must become more open in order, to stay secret.

The full transcript and video of the speech can be viewed by clicking here.