Australia's domestic spy agency has warned social media platforms such as LinkedIn are being used as an espionage tool.
The Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation revealed in its annual report that it had issued advice about "hostile intelligence services" using social media to target people across business and government.
"In a small number of organisations, security teams were considering making policy changes in response to receiving our advice; for example, to limit or restrict social media access on their corporate networks," ASIO's report said.
"[The advice] also generated some new intelligence back to ASIO by prompting clearance holders to report social media approaches, based on our advice of how hostile intelligence actors craft social media approaches."
A report in the New York Times earlier this year claimed China was using LinkedIn to try to recruit foreign spies.
ASIO warns about resources, right wing extremists
ASIO's annual report also said its resources were being stretched as demand for advice on foreign interference outstripped capacity.
"While our work in these areas is well regarded, the higher level of espionage and foreign interference threat — combined with greater awareness among our stakeholders of that threat — has increased demand for our advice and support, which is stretching current resources," said former director general Duncan Lewis, who has since retired from the role.
"With the terrorist threat showing no signs of significantly decreasing, ASIO has limited scope to redirect internal resources to address the increasing gap between demand for our counterespionage and foreign interference advice and our ability to furnish this assistance."
The terror threat includes risks posed by right wing extremists, brought into focus by the Christchurch terror attacks earlier this year.
"Extreme right-wing groups in Australia are more cohesive and organised than they have been over previous years, and will remain an enduring threat," the report said.
"Any future extreme right-wing-inspired attack in Australia would most likely be low capability and conducted by a lone actor or small group, although a sophisticated weapons attack is possible."
Shadow Home Affairs Minister Kristina Keneally said ASIO's resourcing issues should raise concerns within the Federal Government.
"It's an incredibly important agency in our national security framework and for them to be reporting in this time when the challenges they face are quite complex, that they are stretched for resources, well that's an alarm bell," she said.
"It's an alarm bell that should ring quite loudly within the Morrison government."
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton was contacted for comment.
