RAF’s alert over jet ‘spy plot’

MILITARY personnel have been warned about the dangers of social media after an RAF airwoman’s Tinder profile was hacked in an apparent espionage plot.

An unknown spy took control of her account and used it to try to manipulate a serviceman into disclosing secrets about the UK’s new F-35B fighter jets.

Operatives with allegiance to either Russia or China are thought to be the most likely culprits. The F-35 stealth jets cost £92million each and the first four of 138 ordered arrived at RAF Marham in Norfolk in June – shortly before the ‘honey trap’ plot was launched.

After it was discovered, senior officers were warned to be on guard for further attempts to breach military security.

A memo seen by the Mail on Sunday read: ‘A serving member of the RAF had their online dating profile hacked. It subsequently transpired that the perpetrator then attempted to befriend another serving member of the RAF to apparently elicit comment and detail on F-35.

‘Fortunately, little information was disclosed and the individual whose account had been hacked reported this matter enabling prompt follow-up action.

‘This incident serves to highlight the risk of social engineering (SE) and online reconnaissance against social media profiles that disclose links to HM Forces.’

The memo defines social engineering as ‘psychological manipulation to elicit sensitive information’.

It comes after ex-Rolls-Royce engineer Bryn Jones, 73, was arrested amid fears secret data about the F-35 had been passed to Beijing after MI5 was tipped off.