Former CSIS Director: Private Firms Must Brace for Espionage Attacks on Research

David Vigneault said that private companies not just universities are increasingly under threat from foreign intelligence agencies seeking technology steals. He said firms working on advanced research must view themselves as part of the national security landscape.
He explained that sectors like AI, biotech, aerospace and advanced manufacturing are particularly vulnerable, because their breakthroughs are valuable beyond commercial use. Foreign actors want to access those breakthroughs before they hit the market.
These espionage efforts often involve covert approaches: disguised funding offers, joint-venture proposals, or recruitment efforts aimed at insiders with critical research knowledge. Once embedded, foreign agents can siphon data over time.
Vigneault urged companies to strengthen internal policies, verify external collaborations carefully, and deploy cybersecurity tools to monitor sensitive intellectual property. He said companies must not wait until after a breach to react.
At the same time, he underlined that businesses should also respect human rights and avoid bias in their vetting processes focusing scrutiny on behavior and affiliations, not ethnicity or nationality.