The great power competition will cause China and Russia to intensify their industrial espionage efforts while the United States increases its efforts to stop them. Aggressive Iranian actions indirectly affecting, or directly targeting, its rivals? civilians and companies will intensify as U.S.-Iranian tensions rise. More investigations, more regulations and higher ceilings on penalties—and an unprecedented cyberthreat from the West?s geopolitical rivals—will drive an increase in the number and size of penalties for organizations that suffer data breaches.

Great power competition will produce a surge in corporate espionage incidents involving Western companies in 2019. The competition will drive China and Russia to maintain, if not accelerate, their already-intensive corporate espionage efforts. Chinese activity will eclipse Russia?s, since China has more resources, though the United States is also more focused on countering China. U.S. companies will be the most affected target set given that the United States is the most target-rich environment for corporate espionage. The types of companies most likely to be targeted are in sectors prioritized in Chinese and Russian strategic documents.

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