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About the Project
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has implemented the world’s first research and capacity-building initiative focused on raising awareness of the threat of economic cyber-espionage in key emerging economies.
2015 G20 Leaders' Communique
Through a series of research reports, learning materials, and case study collections, we highlight how economic cyber-espionage has become a significant threat not only to advanced economies but also to key emerging economies such as India, Brazil, and Indonesia. This project has also included workshops and engagements in India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, bringing together officials and experts to discuss cyber threats that undermine national economies and innovation sectors.
Launched in 2022, the project aims to enhance awareness of economic cyber-espionage in emerging economies. As economies worldwide undergo digital transformation, the ability to develop local, innovative, knowledge-based industries is critical for economic security. This applies to both industrialised nations and emerging economies in the Global South.
Protecting intellectual property—including technologies, industrial designs, trade secrets, and other sensitive business information—is essential to fostering innovation, attracting foreign investment, enabling international trade, and maintaining regional competitiveness. In today’s economy, businesses that trade internationally, critical national industries, start-ups, universities, research institutions, and public services all rely on secure data, digital communications, and ICT-enabled systems.
However, trust and confidence in the digital economy are being undermined by states that deploy offensive cyber capabilities against industries, organisations, and individuals in other nations. Entities operating in environments with lower levels of cybersecurity maturity are particularly vulnerable to cyber-enabled intellectual property theft.
In 2015, G20 leaders—representing the world’s major developed and emerging economies—condemned state-sponsored corporate cyber espionage for commercial purposes. Yet, the threat of economic cyber-espionage has not only persisted but has also expanded geographically and intensified in severity.
Recognising the increasing scale and impact of this challenge, ASPI launched this project to assess the vulnerability of emerging economies to economic cyber-espionage and to strengthen their resilience against this growing threat.
What is ASPI?
ASPI is an independent, non-partisan think tank that produces expert and timely advice for the Indo-Pacific’s strategic & policy leaders. ASPI generates new ideas for policy makers, allowing them to make better-informed decisions. ASPI is one of the most authoritative and widely quoted contributors to public discussion of strategic policy issues in the Indo-Pacific region and a recognised and authoritative Australian voice in international discussion on strategic, national security, cyber, technology and foreign interference issues.
Project Funding
This project was funded by the US State Department's Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy (2021-2024).
This project is managed by ASPI Cyber, Technology and Security (CTS) program, led by Bart Hogeveen, Deputy Director, and Dr. Gatra Priyandita, Senior Analyst. They received support and contributions of other former and serving ASPI staff, including Urmika Deb, Dr. Ben Stevens, Dr. Teesta Prakash, and Shivangi Seth.
This project further received input from researchers and analysts from across the world, including those in South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. We thank them for their contributions.
