Cyber Espionage and Economic Intelligence: A Problem and A Potential Solution In A Fragmentated Economic Environment

Experts estimate that the cost of cybercrime to the global economy is likely around 700 billion of dollars every year. More than 25% of cyber crime is represented by cyber espionage. Cyber espionage is conducted on a regular basis by every nation in the world with a cyber capability, in addition to many non-state actors that use nation-state infrastructures to carry out operations and the current method of economic estimation, may not fully reflect the true damage to the global economy. It may slow the pace of innovation, distort trade, and create social costs from job loss. To counter a highly profitable activity, behind which there tend to be important capacities of state systems, it is necessary to support the formation of economic intelligence structures capable of stemming the phenomenon and strategically protecting the well-being of nations. Within an international context that is increasingly fluid but at the same time increasingly competitive, states once again become protagonists of the geopolitical scene and guarantors of stability as far they are able to create reliable economic environments connecting different sectors.