espionage
secret spying for information
Secretly finding out another country’s, organization’s, or company’s private information.
[someone] engages in espionage; [someone] is accused of espionage; espionage against [a country/company]
- The engineer was arrested on charges of espionage after allegedly passing trade secrets to a foreign government.
- The agency denied that its diplomats had been involved in espionage.
- Modern espionage often depends as much on hacking as on traditional spies.
- He was accused of espionage.
- Espionage is secret work to get important information.
- Base: espionage
- Plural: espionage
an act of espionage
1one spying incident
One specific example of spying.
- Officials called the theft of the files an act of espionage.
- The company argued that copying the database was not just misconduct but an act of espionage.
- Planting the listening device in the embassy was treated as an act of espionage.
corporate espionage
1business spying
Secretly getting private information from a company, often to help another company.
- The lawsuit accused a former manager of corporate espionage.
- Companies train staff to recognize phishing attempts that could lead to corporate espionage.
- The investigation found no proof of corporate espionage by the rival firm.
counter-espionage
1stopping enemy spies
Secret work done to find or stop spies.
- The agency expanded its counter-espionage unit after several leaks.
- Counter-espionage officers monitored the suspected spy network for months.
- The new rules were presented as counter-espionage measures.
cyber espionage
1digital spying
Using computers or the internet to secretly get private or secret information.
- Officials blamed the data breach on a foreign cyber espionage group.
- Cyber espionage has become a major concern for hospitals, universities, and defense contractors.
- The report described years of cyber espionage targeting government email accounts.
economic espionage
1spying for economic gain
Secretly getting economic or business information to help a country or organization compete.
- Prosecutors described the theft of semiconductor designs as economic espionage.
- The government warned that universities were increasingly targets for economic espionage.
- Economic espionage can damage entire industries, not just individual companies.
industrial espionage
1spying on companies
Secretly stealing or collecting a company’s private business information.
- The company said the stolen prototype was evidence of industrial espionage.
- Several employees were questioned during an investigation into industrial espionage.
- Industrial espionage can involve hacking, bribery, or planting an insider in a company.
military espionage
1spying on armed forces
Secretly getting information about another country’s army, weapons, or defense plans.
- The documents revealed details of a military espionage operation during the war.
- The officer was suspected of military espionage after classified maps were found in his apartment.
- Military espionage remains a major concern even between countries that are not officially at war.
the espionage act
1U.S. secrecy law
A U.S. law used in cases involving national defense secrets.
- The former contractor was charged under the Espionage Act.
- Debates about the Espionage Act often involve national security and press freedom.
- Prosecutors said the documents contained information covered by the Espionage Act.