The Data Wars: How Intelligence Agencies Target Tech Companies
The most valuable intelligence asset today isn't a secret agent – it's the data we share every day.
We live in a world where every minute thousands of photos, messages, and personal details are shared online. Social networks, mobile operators, and online services collect vast amounts of information about who we are, where we go, and what we think. For technology companies, this data powers billion-dollar business models. But for intelligence agencies, it represents something even more valuable: a global intelligence database.
Following the revelations of Edward Snowden, we learned that intelligence agencies have long sought access to information stored inside private companies such as Facebook, Google, Apple, and Microsoft. But what happens when legal access is impossible? One possible answer is surprisingly simple: place a spy inside the company.
In this fascinating talk, Menny Barzilay explores how the data collected by modern technology companies has transformed them into strategic intelligence targets – and why commercial organizations may now play an unexpected role in global espionage.