corporate espionage
Stealing trade secrets
Corporate espionage is the covert gathering of confidential business information—trade secrets, proprietary technology, client lists, strategic plans—typically for competitive advantage.
It ranges from bribing employees to hacking computer systems.
The term carries criminal connotations that distinguish it from ordinary competitive intelligence: The company accused its rival of corporate espionage after finding surveillance devices in the boardroom.
- wiretappingCovert phone surveillance
- hackingInfiltrating protected digital systems
- data breachUnauthorized access to protected information
- eavesdroppingSecretly listening to others
- burner phoneDisposable anonymous telephone
mole · trade secrets · surveillance · bug · social engineering · dumpster diving · competitive advantage · hostile takeover · insider threat · industrial sabotage · defense contractors · shell company · phishing · technology sector · NDA · non-compete clause · pharmaceutical companies · market dominance
- corporateCEO, office, CFO, cubicle, COO
- corporate crimessecurities fraud, insider trading, price fixing, embezzlement, tax fraud
- criminal schemesconspiracy, collusion, racketeering, kickback scheme, assassination plot
- cyber threatsmalware, phishing, hacking, virus, ransomware
- cyberattacksmalware, phishing, ransomware, hack, virus
- cybercrimeshacking, phishing, malware, ransomware, data breach
corporate espionageethical business practices
Morally sound commercial conduct
corporate espionagecorporate transparency
Companies disclosing operations publicly
public relations · press release · knowledge transfer · trade publication · investor relations
corporate espionageinformation security
Protecting data from threats
corporate security · counterespionage · counterintelligence · data protection · cybersecurity