Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution warned that foreign intelligence operatives may use private relationships to pressure business executives, the agency said in comments to Handelsblatt.
The BfV said operatives follow a systematic process: they decide whom to pursue and collect background information before making contact. The agency said personal relationships can create circumstances that leave a target open to pressure.
Executives may then be pushed to assist an intelligence service, either knowingly or without recognizing their cooperation, the agency said.
