One would think Cyber Crime, Social engineering, and Hacking would make the traditional Spy out dated, and espionage and face to face meeting for recruiting agent insiders an ancient tradecraft.

The truth is the opposite. And just recently another contracted consultant in Sweden was indicted, facing trial over espionage charges by selling intellectual property from Volvo and Scania to the Russian foreign intelligence Service SVR, alleged putting Swedish national security at risk.

The consultant was traditionally recruited, and according to the investigation, he already had access to intelligence (IP) and was not an infiltrator but an insider vetted, cultivated, and recruited by the Russian SVR-Spy working under a diplomatic cover at the embassy. Most known insider acts are conducted by employees that have been deployed for some time prior to the act of crime.

The operation has been stretched over years, like most insiders, convicted for espionage or fraud. Other inside acts are normally shorter period of time.

The consultant claims he is innocent, and said the Diplomat just helped him with money hence he had an economical dilemma, and he appreciated the Diplomat's genuine interest for his work. So far what has been revealed, the consultant follows the protocol concerning personal pre-dispositions and stressors, and the SVR-Spy follows the protocol of agent running. It will be most interesting to take part of the investigation.

What has been told so far, I reckon this a spy case done by the book, following the strict protocol where the consultant has been targeted the traditional way and gone through all the steps of assessment before he eventually was recruited and the investment paid off. And so far, the consultant shows the vulnerabilities of an insider, vulnerabilities that Insider Risk Management programs like i.e., SignPostSix, work proactively with in order to identify and mitigate.

Has the consultant followed the pathway of an insider, and is it likely he has been an unintended insider as he claimed? Have the Russians identified motives within his personal pre-dispositions and finally waited to recruit him once the stressors occurred? Time will tell or the investigation will.