When the Salt Typhoon attack struck in December 2024, it marked a chilling turning point, not just in cyber warfare, but in the race to control the world’s most valuable resource: intellectual property (IP). As former policymakers, technologists, and educators, we’ve seen firsthand how IP theft is no longer just about lost revenue. It’s about lost futures.

In our report, Risk of State-Sponsored Intellectual Property Theft and Protection, we unpack the rising wave of IP theft driven by foreign governments, particularly China, and the devastating impact these campaigns can have on U.S. innovation, economic stability, and national security. From universities to startups, from Texas energy firms to biotech labs, no sector is immune and many are unprepared.

This report brings together real-world case studies, methods of attack, legal frameworks, and actionable recommendations designed to help critical infrastructure operators, university leaders, and private companies defend what matters most. Because in today’s global landscape, the theft of a single research file can have the same consequences as the theft of a defense asset.

If we want to protect the American innovation ecosystem, it’s time to treat IP like the national security asset it is. Let this be your wake-up call and your guide forward.