Technology Quarterly

Spycraft

Watching the watchers

Technology Quarterly -

Tools of the spy trade have changed and so has the world in which they are used, says Shashank Joshi

Illustration of two magnifying glasses with eyes inside on a background of digital files and pointing cursors.

New-look spooks

The tools of global spycraft have changed

And so has the world in which they are used, says Shashank Joshi

Illustration with a map and ID cards on a dark background with footprints.

Dead drop drops dead

Ubiquitous technical surveillance has made spying more difficult

But human intelligence is still vital

Illustration of the globe with satellites orbiting around it and creating lines of communication between them.

Dot-dot-dot dashed

Signals intelligence has become a cyber-activity

That has significantly changed its focus

Illustration of distorted numbers and dots on a square background.

Old-school broadcasts

Sometimes the old ways of espionage are the best

Encrypted messages on the radio are still going strong

Illustration of a brain connected to chips and cables.

SpookGPT

Artificial intelligence can speed-sort satellite photos

Could it also recruit an agent?

Illustration of an eye with a keyhole in it. The background is a motherboard.

Intelligence, Inc

Private firms and open sources are giving spies a run for their money

There is plenty of co-operation, too

Spycraft

Sources and acknowledgments

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