Stopping the Cyber Espionage Threat

By Heritage Foundation Mike Brownfield —— Bio and Archives April 26, 2012

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From the moment that Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, America learned that it is not an impenetrable fortress protected by thousands of miles of ocean, and on September 11, we were tragically reminded of that fact. Likewise, there is a new kind of threat to the United States that knows no territorial boundaries, but this one travels neither by land, by sea or by air. It’s the threat to America’s cyber security, and today Congress has the opportunity to do something about it.

Whether you know it or not, hackers are busy at work all around the world striking the United States via the Internet in an attempt to steal valuable intellectual property and sensitive information. Using the same methods, these perpetrators of cyber espionage could attack the critical infrastructure that keeps America running, such as the nation’s power grid and water supply. China is a major cyber espionage culprit. According to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, U.S. companies have reported Chinese attempts to steal client lists, merger and acquisition data, pricing information, and the results of research and development efforts — all of which gives foreign companies an unfair competitive advantage. That intellectual property theft also costs big money — ranging up to $400 billion per year, not to mention the jobs that go along with it.

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