What do our spies really do? Intelligence officers tell their story

Show yourself without revealing anything. Tell yourself without betraying any secrets. This is the acrobatic exercise in which officers from the Internal Security Directorate (DGSI) and the Directorate General of External Security (DGSE), the two main French intelligence services, have agreed to engage for Le Parisien -Today in France.

It was not obvious. Especially at a time when the entire intelligence community is under pressure after the tragedy that took place on October 3 at the Paris police headquarters.

DGSE received us Tuesday, October 8, at its headquarters on Boulevard Mortier (Paris, twentieth), where we met four agents from the technical direction and the direction of intelligence. On the other hand, it is impossible to approach members of the Operations Directorate, which includes the Action Service, the secret military unit of the DGSE. The DGSI opened its doors in Levallois-Perret the next day. All the names of the agents mentioned here have been changed for security reasons.

This panel provides an overview of the diversity of professions and human resources issues. Because today more than ever, the DGSE and the DGSI recruit and seek the best elements in all the fields: analysts "darkweb", psychologists, interpreters, specialists of the intrusion or as of the telecoms. Thus, 700 new positions are to be filled at the DGSE and more than 1200 at the DGSI in the next five years.

"Every attack is lived painfully"

Clement, 30, counterterrorism analyst (DGSI).

"After studying political and economic sciences at the University, I first worked in the private sector, working for a large security-defense company as a geopolitical analyst. Then I joined the DGSI at the end of 2016.

It was the beginning of a new method of integrating an analyst civil in a team of forensic investigators of the DGSI. My job is to provide contextual information to investigators in counter-terrorism cases.

For example, if you are investigating a jihadist chain in a Syrian town, I have to inform my colleagues about the battles that took place there, the people who were met on the spot, etc. This is thanks to open sources or information provided by other French intelligence services.

Judicial proceedings are long and complex. Sometimes a simple connection or a link to another file leads to the temporary detention of a dangerous individual. In this case, I feel useful for the protection of my country.

Obviously, in view of all the work done daily, every attack on French soil or against French interests abroad is painfully experienced by the intelligence community. I did not, however, ever feel like a personal failure, at least not so far … ".

"You really have to be interested in people"

Marion, 40, former Middle East Officer (DGSE).

"After a university degree in international relations, I returned to the DGSE as an analyst through a public service competition. I worked as a researcher in geopolitics. Then, after a training period, I was sent to the Middle East for a multi-year officer-trader mission.

The power plant " (DGSE headquarters, Ed) gave me intelligence objectives and the job was to target people who might interest us, then connect with them and persuade them to collaborate with us. The first quality to succeed in this kind of mission is unmitigated empathy. You really have to be interested in people to get something. Of course, financial means can be made available but this kind of argument is never enough.

In training, we learn the techniques of hiding and spinning for example. For the training to be effective, it must take place in the field where we will practice later. A final scenario concludes the training, prior to being screened in the field. Then, once in operation, it is necessary to be autonomous, creative, curious with a great capacity of adaptation. Courageous ? I would not say that. The risks are assessed upstream and I never felt that I was in danger.

Then, once the mission is over, you have to break all the contacts established in the country. On a daily basis, in the private sphere, we have to know how to make ourselves boring as soon as we are asked questions about work. Or show nothing of our sharp knowledge on a hot topic. It's both frustrating and a lesson of humility each time. "

"Anything can be interesting"

Lea, 30, linguist analyst in Chinese language (DGSI).

"I practice in the area of ​​economic counter-interference. As part of the mission to protect the scientific, economic and technical heritage of France, my job is to investigate a natural or legal person from open sources, that is to say accessible to the public: press articles, court registries, social networks.

We can collect information on private or professional life, financial data, connections between people. Everything can be interesting. On referral to a service of the "Centrale" (the headquarters of the DGSI in Levallois-Perret, Ed)we are interested, for example, in the approaches that sensitive French companies may experience from foreign countries: entry into the capital of a company, merger, partnerships, etc.

The mechanisms of a market economy are not in question, but the DGSI ensures that these operations do not cover an unfair project of capture technologies or knowledge that would harm the French interests.

I was recruited by the DGSI out of school, after a license of foreign languages ​​applied in Chinese and training at the CNAM. This profession induces some constraints. I am not allowed to travel to China for example. The risk of being the object of an attempt to turnaround by the foreign intelligence services is too strong. "

"I really like the idea of ​​working for my country"

Sandra, 25, computer engineer, team leader at the technical directorate (DGSE).

"Recruited as a developer two and a half years ago, I am now leading a team of seven people. We develop applications used by analysts. Basically, we help them deal with significant amounts of information that can be sources of information.

I had the trigger for the DGSE thanks to a conference organized within my engineering school, INSA Rouen. I really like the idea of ​​working for my country rather than for a shareholder. Being in direct contact with the users is also very interesting.

The negative side is being cut off from the outside world during work time. Impossible to go on the Internet, for example, for reasons of computer security.

To outsiders, I'm just saying that I'm a computer scientist for the Ministry of the Armed Forces. In general, this does not give rise to so many reactions and questions. I just need to be able to answer questions about my pseudo-trips to Balard (headquarters of the Ministry of the Armed Forces in Paris, Ed). Only two people know where I really work. "

"I do not identify with the fantasy of the spy"

Manon, 30, counter-proliferation analyst (DGSI).

"Our service is responsible for detecting the acquisition of sensitive material by foreign powers seeking to acquire nuclear, chemical or ballistic weapons. Nothing is obvious. The actual purchasers are masked and the products are dual-use: civilian and military. Carbon fiber, used for example in the manufacture of bicycle frames, is also used to manufacture centrifuges (used to enrich the nuclear fuel, Ed).

One day, we identified a company producing simple sandals but made of a material used for chemical attacks, as was the case in Syria. We therefore need to "map" the companies involved, inform them and build strong relationships with their managers so that they can send us information in case of doubt about a suspicious order.

Each year, more than 1400 French companies are sensitized by the DGSI. We must also, more clandestinely, recruit human sources. Sometimes our sources know who we are, sometimes not. In my environment, only three people know the nature of my work.

To others, I'm just saying that I work at Place Beauvau, at the Ministry of the Interior. It's not a frustration. I do not feel the need to be highlighted and rewarded. I do not identify with the fantasy of the spy, with a raincoat and a hat … I just love my work. "

"Outside, I say that I work at the Military School"

Samir, 40, linguist-translator within the Administration Directorate (DGSE).

"I followed a university course in Arabic, with a specialty in translation. After a stint at the Ministry of Defense, I applied to the DGSE as a spontaneous application.

Some of my colleagues, specialists in Arabic dialects, make transcripts from oral material. For my part, I take care of the translation on the basis of texts. It is sometimes a very literary or very technical Arabic.

If I'm asked questions outside, I always say that I work at the Military School. My work schedules are very classic. Except in the case of a major crisis, such as a hostage crisis, for example. In this kind of situation, you have to be able to mobilize day and night. "

"We are facing very motivated opponents"

Julien, 34 years old, expert engineer in cyberdefense (DGSI).

"As soon as there is suspicion or evidence of widespread computer attack on the national territory, we launch an investigation. Our objectives are threefold: to identify the point of entry of the target, the protocols for collecting information and the repatriation of the information collected.

The attack can be carried out remotely, as is often the case, or through human agents present on the territory. This is part of an attempt at industrial, technological or financial espionage by a state.

The targets are very diverse: embassies, consulates, large companies and even natural persons who are interested in foreign services for their relational proximity to interesting sources. I think, for example, of NGO staff or journalists.

The purpose of our operations is to trace the infrastructure of an attack and identify targets that may have been reached. But we are facing very motivated opponents.

To succeed, you have to be passionate, creative and imaginative. I do not know if there are more attacks in recent years. On the other hand, the level of sophistication has increased considerably.

The negative side of the job? Not being able to share the weight of failures or the joy of success with loved ones. "

"You have to put your hands in the grease"

Adrien, 26, expert in cryptology (DGSE).

"Graduate in mathematics with specialization in cryptology, I first worked in the private sector in the aerospace industry. After an interview HR classic at the DGSE, I passed tests of logic and a psychological interview.

Cryptology, I fell in when I was in 3rd grade after reading a book on the history of secret codes. This specialty consists of encrypting and decrypting authentication systems and security of the means of communication.

At the DGSE, we touch on very sensitive things, but we only know the general context: counter-terrorism, counter-intelligence or counter-proliferation, for example. Unlike what happens in the private sector, you have to put your hands in the grease. We do not deal with clients but with colleagues from the Intelligence Directorate. And our mistakes or successes can have important consequences.

The most difficult part is sometimes the lack of an overall vision of the topics we are dealing with. Moreover, it is impossible to speak specifically of his work to his spouse. For me, the problem is different, since I live with someone who works at the DGSE. "

VIDEO. The trailer of the exhibition "Spy"