Ride the Lightning

Cybersecurity and Future of Law Practice Blog
by Sharon D. Nelson Esq., President of Sensei Enterprises, Inc.

Shocker (Not): The French Are Spying on American Executives

June 5, 2014

As the French would say, "Sacrebleu!" As Infosecurity reports, former CIA director and defense secretary Robert Gates says that state-sponsored French hackers are probably the most “capable” of stealing the business secrets of American companies, after China.

In a CNN interview, Gates said, “What we accuse China of doing – stealing American companies’ secrets and technology – is not new nor is it done only by the Chinese – there are probably a dozen or 15 countries that steal our technology in this way. In terms of the most capable next to the Chinese are probably the French, and they’ve been doing it a long time.”

Gates added that French intelligence services routinely broke into the hotel rooms of American executives during business trips to the country and downloaded information from their laptops “if they felt the laptops had technological information or competitive information that would be useful to French companies."
 
Here's the kicker – which I do not for a minute believe: Gates also said, “The difference is – and it’s hard for people to believe this but you have to take my word for it – we nearly are alone in the world in not using our intelligence services for the competitive advantage of our businesses."
 
I think Mr. Snowden has given the lie to Mr. Gates' statement. Nonetheless, I was interested to read that he regards France as second to China. Few people have ever thought the French were that well organized or technologically advanced. John gives France credit for Grand Marnier, creme brulee and very little else. He may have to rethink that stance.
 
Hat tip to Dave Ries.