This type of espionage is committed by an individual or group to gain a financial or commercial advantage over another business. It can also be known as corporate spying or industrial espionage.
There can be different forms. Firstly, there is the theft of intellectual property belonging to a company. This might include techniques, operational details, customer information, research and development projects, client data or any other strategies. Secondly, the theft of secrets of the trade, blackmail or malware attacks on technology.
There are many ways that espionage can be carried out. These include:
- Trespassing to access information
- Bugging of phones
- Hacking in a competitor’s database or disabling their system with a cyber attack
- Website domain name hijacking
- Searching for data leaks on the dark web
- Posing as a job applicant to get hired and gain access to sensitive information
There is a difference between malicious espionage and competitive intelligence. Finding out about a competitor is not illegal if the information is obtained legally. For example, hiring a private investigator to listen to what’s going on at a trade conference is perfectly acceptable. For a Private Detective London, visit a site like ISG, suppliers of Private Detective London services.
Some industries are more susceptible to becoming a victim of corporate espionage and these include but are not limited to:
Aerospace
Energy
Software
Telecommunications
Transportation
Any business that holds information, data or innovate designs can become a target for intellectual theft or espionage.
