‘Massive amounts’ of spying on academia and startups, MI5 warns

Security agency’s work is increasingly focused on protecting UK research and innovation, says top spook

The head of MI5 has warned of “massive amounts” of covert activity by foreign powers aimed at academic research and startups working on emerging technologies in the UK.

Ken McCallum was speaking on 17 October at the first-ever public appearance of the Five Eyes intelligence partnership—the United States, the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—as part of an event on securing innovation at Stanford University in California.