The British counterintelligence agency MI5 is planning to issue a guide for MPs offering advice on countering foreign interference, The Sunday Times reported.
The document, prepared by the National Security Agency (a division of MI5), is addressed to individuals considered to be “high-risk“. It will warn MPs of threats from “hostile states“ and suggest precautions. These include recommendations on hiring assistants, social media behavior and international travel, including a ban on leaving phones and laptops unattended in hotels.
MPs will be encouraged to use the National Cyber Security Center, which is designed to detect “malicious activity“ on their devices. While the guidance will be general in nature, the newspaper's sources note that London sees China and Russia as the main sources of threats.
On September 18, three people were arrested in the UK on suspicion of aiding Russian intelligence services. According to Scotland Yard, a 41-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman were detained at their home in Grays, Essex. Another 46-year-old man was arrested at a different address in the same city.
Six Bulgarian citizens were previously convicted in the UK of spying for Russia.