MI6 to recruit on the dark web, including in Russia, via new portal

LONDON — Britain's foreign intelligence service MI6 is expanding recruitment to the dark web with a new secure portal, aiming to attract potential spies including in Russia.

The Foreign Office said Thursday that the portal, named Silent Courier, will be a secure messaging platform that uses the anonymity of the dark web to reach individuals with access to information relating to terrorism or hostile intelligence activity who may wish to contact the U.K. about offering their services.

"As the world changes, and the threats we’re facing multiply, we must ensure the U.K. is always one step ahead of our adversaries," new Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said. "Our world-class intelligence agencies are at the coalface of this challenge, working behind the scenes to keep British people safe."

The portal will be available starting Friday, with instructions on how to use it publicly posted on MI6’s verified YouTube channel. Users are advised to access it through trusted VPNs and devices not linked to themselves.

"Our virtual door is open to you," outgoing MI6 chief Richard Moore is expected to say in Istanbul at the portal's launch.

The move mirrors the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency’s approach, which in 2023 published messages on social media to attract potential Russian spies.

The Foreign Office said the project is intended to bolster the U.K.’s defenses against global instability, international terrorism and hostile state intelligence activity, reflecting a broader effort to adapt to evolving threats.