Computerhacking!(Electronic-devicehacking)

 Avisitorconnectsanelectronicdevicetoyoursystem,suchasathumb

drive,thataddsmalwareordownloadsyourinformation

 Someonehacksintoyournetworkviaaspearphishingattack

 Anunattendedlaptopisaccessedorstolen

 On-sitevisitstoyourcompany:

 Unauthorizedphotographyorcomputeraccess

 Unauthorizedentryintorestrictedareas

 Askingquestionsoutsidethescopeofthevisit

 Reviewofpubliclyavailablesources.Areyousharingtoomuchinformation?

 Obtainsyoursurplusequipment.Thousandsofpagesofstoredinformation

maystillresideinthememoryofacopier,printer,faxmachine,etc.

 Employmentsolicitation(trytohireyourkeyemployees)

 Theftorunauthorizedphotographyofproductsattradeshows

 Burglary(includingcopyingofrestricteddocumentswheretheoriginalsstay

in-house)

 Dumpsterdiving–findinginformationinyourcompany’strash

 Jointventures

 Frontcompanies

 Unsolicitedrequestsforinformation

 Elicitation–developingafriendshipwithanemployeewiththeintentionof

obtainingrestricteddataorproducts.Theemployeewillseesomeonewho

appearsnon-threateningandinterestedinhis/herwork.

 Electronicsurveillance(listeningdevicesinyourhotelroom,cell-phone

hacking,etc.)

Protecttheprogramsandsystemsthatsupportwhatmakesyourcompany

successfulandunique.Ifyourcompanyhasatechnologicaledge,expectyour

technology,andthosewithaccesstoit,tobetargeted.Ifyourcompanyhas

developedaprocesstomanufactureanitematlesscostthanothers,that

manufacturingprocessmaybetargeted.Ifyourcompanyisnegotiatingwith

anothercompanyorcountry,thenegotiatorsandnegotiationstrategymaybe

targeted.Ifyourcompanyhasinvestedtimeandresourcesdevelopingaproduct

oridea—Protect It!

 Healthandsafetyconcernsfromcounterfeitproducts

 Lostinvestmentforresearch(R&D)

 Delaysorinterruptioninproduction

 Lostrevenue

 Lostemployment

 Damagedreputation

Intellectual Property Protection

Safeguard Your Company’s Trade Secrets, Proprietary Information and Research

U.S. Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Domestic and foreign companies may try to illegally acquire 

your company’s information. Foreign nations that seek to 

improve their economies and militaries target US technology 

companies. 

Common Tactics:

Theft of Intellectual Property Could Result In:

Information That 

Could Be Targeted:

Proprietary formulas and 

processes

Prototypes or blueprints

Research

Technical components and 

plans

Confidential documents

Computer access protocols

Passwords

Employee data

Manufacturing plans

Equipment specifications

Vendor information

Customer data

Access control information

Computer network design

Software (including source 

codes)

Phone directories

Hiring/Firing strategies and 

plans

Negotiation strategies

Sales forecasts

Pricing strategies

Corporate strategies

Marketing strategies

Acquisition strategies

Budget estimates/

expenditures

Corporate financial data

Investment data
 Domesticandforeigncommercialrivals

 Domesticandforeignstart-upcompanies

 Foreignintelligenceofficers(spies)

 Disgruntledemployees

 Opportunists(lonewolves)

 Organizedcriminals

Lookforwarningsignsthatanemployeemaybegatheringandpassinginformationoutsideyourcompany.

Whentravelingtoaforeigncountry,youandyourcompany’sinformationareatgreaterrisk.

 Manyforeigncountriesdonothavelegalrestrictionsagainsttechnicalsurveillance.

 Someforeigngovernmentshelptheirdomesticcorporationscollectcompetitiveintelligence.

 Assessyourcompany’sinformationsecurityvulnerabilitiesandfixormitigatetherisksassociatedwith

thosevulnerabilities.

 DonotstoreprivateinformationvitaltoyourcompanyonanydevicethatconnectstotheInternet.

 Useup-to-datesoftwaresecuritytools.Manyfirewallsstopincomingthreats,butdonotrestrict

outbounddata.Competitiveintelligencehackerstrytoretrievedatastoredonyournetwork.

 Educateemployeesonspearphishingemailtactics.Establishprotocolsforquarantiningsuspicious

email.

 Ensureyouremployeesareawareofandaretrainedtoavoidunintendeddisclosures.

 Remindemployeesofsecuritypoliciesonaregularbasisthroughactivetrainingandseminars.Use

signsandcomputerbannerstoreinforcesecuritypolicies.

 Documentemployeeeducationandallothermeasuresyoutaketoprotectyourintellectualproperty.

 Ensurehumanresourcepoliciesareinplacethatspecificallyenhancesecurityandcompanypolicies.

Createclearincentivesforadheringtocompanysecuritypolicies.

 AsktheFBIorothersecurityprofessionalstoprovideadditionalawarenesstraining.TheFBIcan

provideavulnerabilityself-assessmenttool.

Youareultimatelyresponsibleforprotectingyourownintellectualproperty.Congresshascontinually

expandedandstrengthenedcriminallawsforviolationsofintellectualpropertyrightstoprotectinnovation;

however,youneedtotakereasonablestepstoprotectyourintellectualpropertyandproducts,and

documentthosemeasures.

Violations that may apply: Economic Espionage, Theft of Trade Secrets, Mail 

Fraud, Wire Fraud, Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property, Export Control, and 

Intellectual Property Rights.

Ifyoubelieveyourcompanyisavictimofthesecrimes,contacttheFBIortheNationalIntellectualProperty

RightsCoordinationCenter.Investigatorscannotactiftheyarenotawareoftheproblem.TheFBIwill

minimizethedisruptiontoyourbusiness,andsafeguardyourprivacyandyourdataduringitsinvestigation.

Wherenecessary,theFBIwillseekprotectiveorderstopreservetradesecretsandbusinessconfidentiality.

I n t e l l e c t u a l P r o p e r t y P r o t e c t i o n

w w w . f b i . g o v w w w . i c e . g o v / i p r c e n t e r

Who Might Steal Your Intellectual Property?

Insider Threats

Foreign Travel

Protection Strategies

Contact Law Enforcement

Safeguard Your Company’s Trade Secrets, Proprietary Information and Research