Industrial Espionage: Developing a Counterespionage Program
CRC Press; crcpress.com; 214 pages; $69.95.
This book is intended to supply guidelines for establishing a program to prevent and thwart threats against proprietary information and assets. Author Daniel Benny believes most books on industrial espionage fail to accomplish this objective. His approach to doing so is through the review of real-world case examples that suggest what an effective counterespionage program to protect proprietary intellectual assets might be.
The reader is introduced to the problem of industrial espionage and its comparison with competitive intelligence. The book explores topics such as the members of the intelligence community, the intelligence cycle, various intelligence collection methods, traditional tradecraft, cyberthreats, travel tips, awareness training, and basics of information security and physical security programs. Examples of the latter programs include classification principles and descriptions of barriers, IDS sensors, lighting, and locks. Another chapter is dedicated to the set-up and function of a security department. The last chapter lists and describes organizations and agencies that are counterespionage resources and provides contact information.
This book offers three appendices presenting the Espionage Act of 1917, the U.S. Economic Espionage Act of 1996, and the Uniform Trade Secrets Act with 1985 Amendments. At the end of each chapter is a list of references relating to the chapter content in lieu of a comprehensive bibliography.
The overall visual presentation is professional with photographs by the author throughout. This book is recommended for general readers interested in protecting intellectual property and those with a specific interest in industrial espionage issues. It could be beneficial as overview reading in studies of industrial espionage. The book, however, is somewhat pricey for the quantity and depth of information presented.
Reviewer: Paul D. Barnard, CPP, CISM (Certified Information Security Manager), SFPC (Security Fundamentals Professional Certification), is an adjunct professor in industrial espionage and security management programs. He is a member of ASIS International. The opinion expressed is solely that of the reviewer and does not imply the view of the U.S. government or any other organization.
