Treason for Dummies.

[Matthew X]

Overview
Your short course in Treason is a series of articles on how spies are 
caught, the prevalence of espionage, and why people spy.
It starts with a short piece on How Spies Are Caught. That comes first, as 
it is so important for anyone who may be considering espionage to 
understand that they WILL be caught. Perhaps not right away, but 
eventually. The statute of limitations does not apply to the crime of 
espionage. Anyone who commits this crime will have to be looking over their 
shoulder for the rest of their life.
The Insider Espionage Threat identifies four conditions that must exist 
before espionage occurs – opportunity to commit the crime; motive; ability 
to overcome inhibitions such as moral values, fear of being caught, and 
loyalty to employer or co-workers; and a trigger that sets the betrayal in 
motion. The article then analyzes how these pre-conditions for betrayal are 
increasing as a result of changes in social and economic conditions in the 
United States, and in our relations with the rest of the world.
Explosive growth in information technology is increasing exponentially the 
amount of information that can be collected and compromised by a single, 
well-placed spy. Insider Threat to Information Systems examines some of the 
unique security issues associated with computer professionals.
Exploring the Mind of the Spy discusses what psychologists have learned by 
interviewing and testing arrested and convicted American spies. Motivations 
for espionage are far more complex than commonly believed. Selling secrets 
is usually the last act of a long-simmering emotional crisis. In many 
cases, the symptoms of this crisis have been observable, identifiable, and 
even treatable before the damage was done. Typically, however, the 
potential significance of the "at-risk" behavior has not been recognized or 
reported at the time by coworkers or supervisors.
Espionage by the Numbers describes an unclassified database on all 
Americans arrested for espionage since the start of the Cold War. Based on 
media reports, trial records and unclassified official documents, the data 
base records information characteristics of the spies, characteristics of 
the espionage activity, and prevalence among the spies of several behaviors 
that are commonly associated with security risk.
Related Topics: Counterintelligence Indicators, Reporting Improper, 
Unreliable, or Suspicious Behavior, How Do I Know When I'm Being Targeted 
and Assessed.
http://rf-web.tamu.edu/files/SECGUIDE/Treason/Intro.htm