David Vigneault has argued that espionage isn’t just a concern for governments but a whole-society issue. Universities, private companies, and even individual researchers are becoming key targets.
He said foreign actors exploit any weak point in the innovation ecosystem. This includes labs, start-ups, partnerships and data repositories that may lack robust defence mechanisms.
The decentralised nature of modern research means that small teams working on breakthrough technologies can inadvertently become national security weak links. This creates vulnerabilities across sectors.
Vigneault believes a coordinated approach is necessary combining policy, awareness, technological safeguards and institutional cooperation. All parties, he said, must understand the stakes.
He emphasized, however, that responses must be grounded in fairness and must not stigmatize individuals based on nationality or heritage.
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