Swiss intelligence service gearing up to deploy its own cyber agents

GENEVA

The Swiss intelligence service, known as FIS, is prepping to deploy home-grown virtual agents on the Internet.

Under the initiative, starting by the end of this year agents with false identities will work to obtain information in the virtual world, Swiss public broadcaster SFR reported Thursday.

The intelligence agency's targets are terrorism and extremism, according to the report. Already "in several cases" the FIS has benefited from the help of virtual agents working for foreign partner services, the intelligence service told the broadcaster in a written response.

But now it wants to develop capacities itself in order to no longer be dependent on foreign partner services, the statement added. The virtual agents will search for intelligence-relevant data on social networks, among other things.

"The FIS does not provide any information on the number of virtual agents and their capabilities or on the schedule," the intel service told the outlet.

Under current Swiss law, Swiss Defense Minister Viola Amherd must first approve of any use of false identities.

The use of virtual agents is supposed to be under the supervision of intelligence control bodies. These are, in particular, the independent supervisory authority on intelligence activities (AB-ND) and the audit delegation of the Swiss parliament.