Defend I.T.: Security by Example

Chapter 14. Industrial Espionage

Stated simply, industrial espionage is stealing data from one company for the benefit of another. Long considered to be nothing more than a rumor, industrial espionage is now understood to be a serious threat against which corporations have to defend themselves.

This case study presents an instance of what turns out to have been industrial espionage—though it doesn’t involve the more glamorous roles of secret agenttype spies and cloak-and-dagger rendezvous to exchange documents for cash. Nonetheless, the potential damages to the victim firm are real, as are the consequences for the guilty party.

The legal issues surrounding industrial espionage and the protection of intellectual property assets are also discussed. ...