Secret service bosses recruit gamers and nerds to join a new tech spy force
Secret service bosses recruit gamers and nerds to join a new tech spy force
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Secret service bosses are recruiting gamers to join a new tech spy programme. The intelligence agency GCHQ is looking for geeks who "might be a gamer who enjoys building and creating online worlds or teaching yourself to code" or "follow YouTube channels or be part of a Reddit group with a keen interest in tech".
They add: “You might spend free time reading up on cybersecurity, ethical hacking, or coding”. Successful applicants will get a starting salary of £25,856 on the new Cyber Specialist Development Programme, which will launch next January. The new recruits will be schooled by spooks at the National Cyber Force base in Samlesbury, Lancs, "and at another location in Lancashire". At the end of an 18-month programme, the best students will join the organisation’s Computer Network Exploitation team.
The National Cyber Force, which includes officials from MI6, GCHQ and the military, has been operating since April 2020 , countering threats from terrorists and hostile states. The advert says: “You’ll be part of a group at the front line of our mission to protect the UK from harm”.
It adds: "Within the team, there are two key roles: operators and developers. Operators use bespoke technologies to disrupt threats to the UK, target and infiltrate adversaries’ computers, and find weaknesses in intricate software. "Developers design tools that operators need to do their job, working closely with operators and other professionals on the team to understand their requirements. In short, we’re always looking for new and creative ways to solve real-world problems and influence operations.
