A software engineer from China working for Motorola several years ago tried to leave the United States with more than $600 million worth of data that did not belong to her, according to a criminal indictment against her. The case, scheduled for a court hearing in March, highlights the growing role of industrial espionage as technological advances become increasingly critical to businesses, reports the Financial Times.

Industrial espionage costs American businesses between $100 billion and $250 billion annually in lost sales resulting from stolen technology and ideas, intelligence officials have estimated. Increased globalization and tighter competition heighten the risk that companies face when it comes to having their secrets stolen. Technology companies seem to be a likely target, but any business that depends on research and development is at risk, according to analysts.  

A common method for stealing company secrets occurs when departing employees leave with confidential designs in hand. There are any number of other ways for data thieves to operate, however. In one reported instance, an engineer visiting an engineering supplier factory in France reached down to lace up his shoes repeatedly. "The ruse was intended to collect tiny pieces of metal from the floor--discarded from machining operations--that were picked up with a piece of tape on his overlong tie and could later be analysed by a rival business," the paper reports.

Information thieves often do not act alone, and in some cases they have the backing of their own governments. China, Russia, France and Israel reportedly have programs "to appropriate technology from foreign companies but China's methodical approach is regarded as unique by many in the corporate security industry," the paper reports.

For more:
- see the article from the Financial Times

Related Articles:
Ex-trader accused of code theft has bail denied
Keep your trade secrets at home