Today, I want to take you into a world most people never hear about—espionage that’s weird, audacious, and happening right now… but off the radar in Western news.
When we think of spies, we often picture cloak-and-dagger stuff—hidden cameras, briefcases stuffed with secret documents, or James Bond-style break-ins. But the reality? Modern espionage is often low-profile, creative, and sometimes just plain bizarre.
In this episode, we’re going to walk through a number of these recent operations. Some involve cyber tactics, and some involve human operatives doing things you wouldn’t expect. By the end, you’ll understand how spies today are more creative than ever, often hiding in plain sight, and why even these small incidents matter.
Story 1 – Airbnb Spy Outpost
Let’s start with something that sounds like a spy movie: an Airbnb in the French countryside turned into a spy outpost.
Here’s a news piece on it: https://youtu.be/YFFdN5xFpkQ?si=o7OCAiFKMOzv70er
In February 2026, French counterespionage authorities arrested four Chinese operatives renting a small rural property near Bordeaux. They had a giant parabolic antenna on the roof and were causing noticeable internet disruptions in the village. Locals were curious, reported it, and authorities swooped in.
The goal? To intercept satellite communications, possibly even targeting Starlink signals, before sending intelligence back home. In other words, a vacation rental, normally used for weekend getaways, became a makeshift intelligence-gathering hub.
Could you spot a spy in your neighborhood? Intelligence gathering is getting creative. You can’t just look for the big, obvious spy.
Story 2 – Robotic Phone Messages – Psychological Operations in the Iran–Israel Conflict
Now let’s move into something more subtle — and in many ways, more unsettling.
In mid-2025, people outside Iran trying to call into the country started reporting something strange.
The line would connect.
This talks about this issue: https://youtu.be/yKPD4ekvZME?si=lCLH9aIak9_XOWIl
But instead of hearing a loved one’s voice…
They’d hear a robotic message.
Sometimes in English.Sometimes in Farsi.Cold. Automated. Unexpected.
No explanation. No clear source.
Just a voice where a human should be.
That’s wasn’t a glitch.
It was a psychological operation.
Phones are personal. Intimate. Trusted.
When that expectation is violated — even briefly — it creates doubt
Is my call monitored?Is the line secure?Who else can hear this?
And in a conflict environment, doubt is a weapon.
You don’t have to destroy infrastructure.
You just have to make people question it.
Modern espionage doesn’t always steal secrets or detonate bombs.
Sometimes it just inserts itself into systems we trust.
Story 3 – UNC3886 Cyber Espionage – Singapore Telecoms (12–15 minutes)
Content can be taken from here to add to episode: https://youtu.be/tmaL1ihT99Y?si=z96vDT1FAhZQPpYT
Third, let’s talk about cyber espionage—specifically UNC3886 targeting Singapore telecoms earlier this year.
UNC3886 is a state-linked APT group, which stands for Advanced Persistent Threat—think of it as a very patient, very clever digital spy. Their target was telecom infrastructure, quietly probing networks to gain intelligence on communications, data flows, and critical systems.
They weren’t blowing up anything, they weren’t caught red-handed, and it barely made the news in Western outlets. Yet, the implications are huge: telecoms are the backbone of modern life, and silently compromising them is like planting a skeleton key in the world’s digital locks.
Analogy for listeners: Imagine someone sneaking into your office at night, carefully studying every door, every security camera, every filing cabinet… but leaving no evidence behind. That’s how APT groups operate in cyberspace.
cyber espionage is almost invisible, its creative, and persistent. Sometimes the boldest operations are the ones nobody sees happening.
Story 4 – Philippine Infrastructure Espionage
Finally, let’s talk about a case out of the Philippines in 2025 that should make everyone sit up straight.
Parts of this are hard to understand, but it’s a local press conference on this event: https://www.youtube.com/live/AaH5UgWbXCg?si=-g4Jau8Nanp_gEQw
Authorities uncovered operatives quietly mapping critical infrastructure — ports, telecom hubs, power facilities, transportation nodes — and in some instances identifying U.S. military access points and logistics corridors.
And here’s what’s important
They weren’t sneaking around in black hoodies at night.
They were blending in.
They used normal business registrations.They used commercial property leases.They used gaming platforms.They used social media.
These individuals weren’t necessarily conducting attacks. They were conducting preparation. Pattern collection. Layout familiarity. Access mapping. Routine observation.
That’s phase one in modern targeting.
Let’s break down what that likely looks like in real terms.
It can mean
Documenting building ingress and egress points.
Tracking shift changes.
Observing security patrol patterns.
Identifying fiber routes or backup generators.
Mapping port throughput schedules.
Cataloging which facilities are dual-use — civilian on paper, military-relevant in a crisis.
Now think about that for a second.
If tensions escalate, whoever holds that data doesn’t have to start from scratch. They already know where to apply pressure.
So, what do these stories teach us?
Spies today are creative. They use Airbnbs, phones, social media, and telecoms—basically anything people assume is harmless.
Operations can be invisible. No arrests, no explosions, sometimes not even media coverage.
They don’t need theatrics. Quiet, persistent, and low-profile actions can have big impacts.
If there’s one thing to take away, it’s this: the world of intelligence is constantly evolving, and staying aware—even just talking about it—is how we keep ahead of the unseen threats around us.
Thanks for tuning in to The Watch Floor.