A spy can work for a government, a company, or a private individual.
Spy is a person who is dedicated to observing or listening to what is happening to obtain information and knowledge that he transmits to anyone who is interested in it. The set of techniques and practices whose purpose is to obtain data covertly is known as espionage .
In order to determine the meaning of the term that concerns us now, it is essential that we first proceed to establish its etymological origin. Specifically, we have to make it clear that it emanates from the Germanic word spähen , which can be translated as “seeing at a distance.”
For example: “The North American army detained an Iranian spy who was trying to obtain information about nuclear plans,” “Spy movies are my grandfather's favorites,” “When I was a boy, my dream was to be a spy and use all that equipment.” sophisticated ones seen on television.”
Historical spies
Spies can work for a government , companies , or individuals . It is an activity with various legal limits since espionage, in many cases, is outside the law .
Throughout history, there have been numerous spies who gained great importance and prestige thanks to the significant work they did for their countries. Specifically, these are the ones that have been considered most relevant:
- Mata Hari . Without a doubt, this woman has been the best-known spy since the world began. She worked as an exotic dancer and actress, and took advantage of her profession and her relationship with high officials to become a spy. This work led her to be accused in France of having acted as a double agent for Germany , which meant that she was sentenced to death.
- Kim Philby . For almost three decades he served as a spy for both the USSR and the United Kingdom without being discovered. However, there are those who maintain that he was a professional in three-way espionage. What is true and undeniable is that he was part of what was known as “The Cambridge Five” , a group of British spies who had been recruited by the Soviet Union and who carried out these functions during the Cold War .
On a literary and cinematographic level, we must not forget one of the spies that has generated the most expectation and who has become a key figure in our cultural heritage: James Bond , agent 007 of the British Intelligence Service .
Spies seek to obtain information.
Most common techniques
The most common techniques used by spies are infiltration and penetration . Infiltration consists of joining the ranks of the target (that organization that is intended to be spied on) in a hidden manner. The spy who gains the target's trust is known as an undercover agent or mole .
Penetration, for its part, is based on achieving the collaboration, whether conscious or unconscious, of the target, to provide confidential information. Sometimes the person providing the data has been persuaded to work secretly against their own organization.
Industrial spies
When espionage takes place at the corporate level, it is punishable by law.
Industrial espionage consists of obtaining confidential information from competitors to gain an advantage in the market . Thus, a company can spy on its rival to learn about its research and, with the data obtained, get ahead in launching a product.