Industries that heavily rely on research and development (R&D) – including the computer hardware manufacturing, IT, automotive, energy, aerospace, and chemical sectors – should be extra cautious. Learn more about using Ekran System for Insider Threat Prevention Targets of industrial espionage Now, let’s see who’s most at risk of becoming a target for industrial spies. Consequently, we will be using 'industrial espionage' as a generic term in this article unless we want to stress the specifics of economic espionage. The interests of governments and companies frequently overlap, making it hard to distinguish between these two types of espionage.
While industrial espionage is controlled by and benefits private companies, economic espionage is governed by foreign states. The main difference lies in who’s the coordinator. Wagner distinguishes two: industrial espionage itself (which can also be referred to as corporate and commercial espionage) and economic espionage. There is some ambiguity around types of industrial espionage. It involves compromise of trade secrets and intellectual property theft. Unlike competitive intelligence, industrial espionage embraces illegal and unethical methods of collecting corporate data to gain a competitive advantage. The financial consequences of industrial espionage are significant:Īccording to Mike Orlando, the director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, the annual cost of solely Chinese espionage in the United States is estimated at approximately $600 billion. According to NBC News, “The FBI opens a new China-related counterintelligence investigation every 12 hours on average.” Intelligence on competitors gathered in a legal way can give you a leg up in the fight for market share.īut sometimes, companies and governments want more.Ĭompetitors and governments send agents to spy on critical information more often than you might think. You will learn what measures to take to keep your business secrets safe and sound.
Economic espionage definition how to#
In this article, we explain (with real-life examples) how corporate spies attack and discuss how to prevent industrial espionage.
That’s why it’s important to ensure that your organization’s data is well-protected. Information about your company, its products and services, finances, sales, and marketing strategy is a weapon of modern economic warfare.
Especially in the hands of your competitors.