ASIO's stark warning to security clearance holders

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation head also revealed how one Australian analyst had unwittingly been cultivated by a foreign embassy's officials for intelligence gathering.

ASIO director-general Mike Burgess warned foreign spies were hunting for potential recruits and targets online and across social media sites in his annual threat assessment on Tuesday night.

The domestic spy agency had uncovered nearly 16,000 Australians were publicly revealing they held security clearances on professional networking sites, he said.

Around 1000 others had also listed they were working, or had worked, in an intelligence agency.

"Security clearances are not titles or rewards - they come with serious on-going responsibilities," he said.

"I don't know what's more disappointing ... that people who presumably understand the threat don't seem to care about it ... or that individuals trying to promote themselves as security professionals are so unprofessional about security."

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Mr Burgess launched a campaign in 2021 in an effort to raise awareness over the issue of spies using social media as hunting grounds.

But he added it had only gotten worse with defence personnel and defence industry being targeted in the wake of the AUKUS announcement.

One example Mr Burgess highlighted related to a national intelligence community analyst who struck up a relationship with a foreign diplomat.

The two began having regular lunches with the analyst believing it to be a good way to gain insight into the diplomat's work.

Once the diplomat's posted finished, the Australian analyst was introduced to an intelligence official, Mr Burgess said.

The analyst then moved to Defence and they were introduced to a third individual.

The ASIO head revealed all three had been undeclared foreign intelligence officers and the analyst was confronted by ASIO about his meetings with them.

"ASIO showed the analyst the intelligence reports written by the foreign spies," Mr Burgess said.

"The analyst could not believe how much had been gleaned out of what felt like casual conversation."

Mr Burgess said even the most security-aware insiders were vulnerable to being outwitted and outplayed.