China, Russia, Iran Engaged in Aggressive Economic Cyber Spying

Foreign spies from China, Russia, and Iran are conducting aggressive cyber operations to steal valuable U.S. technology and economic secrets, according to a U.S. counterintelligence report.

The report by the National Counterintelligence and Security Center, a DNI counterspy unit, concludes China is among the most aggressive states engaged in stealing U.S. proprietary information as part of a government-directed program.

Key technologies under cyber attack from foreign economic spies are related to the energy, biotechnology, defense, environmental protection, high-end manufacturing, and information and communications industries.

"Chinese companies and individuals often acquire U.S. technology for commercial and scientific purposes," the report states. "At the same time, the Chinese government seeks to enhance its collection of U.S. technology by enlisting the support of a broad range of actors spread throughout its government and industrial base."

The report warned that the problem is continuing and urged greater efforts to counter Chinese cyber economic spying.

Among the methods used for the Chinese economic espionage program are traditional spies attached to the Ministry of State Security and military intelligence offices as well as a wide range of non-traditional spies.

Those include some of the 350,000 Chinese students currently studying in the United States, along with Chinese engaged in business.

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[And we are still granting thousands of student visas to our engineering schools? --Editor]