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Intelligence and security services are increasingly involved in tackling the threat posed by state-sponsored economic cyber espionage, but the scope of their actions and the safeguards for privacy and data protection remain underreported. One of the most controversial investigative powers is the bulk interception of data transported via fibre optic cables. Sophie Harleman's doctoral thesis examines the use of such powers by intelligence and security services and what minimum requirements can be imposed on them. 

The extent to which intelligence and security services engage in countering state-sponsored economic cyber espionage, and the framework of safeguards applicable to their actions, remains underexplored. The nature of the investigatory cyber powers that intelligence and security services have at their disposal often involves the collection and processing of bulk data. While such capabilities are considered essential for identifying national security threats, they also entail significant interference with the right to privacy and data protection.

This gives rise to the question of which minimum requirements for privacy and data protection apply when these investigatory powers are used by intelligence and security services against state-sponsored economic cyber espionage. In this research, that question is addressed by identifying a set of minimum requirements for privacy and data protection in this specific context. 

The analysis proceeds in five stages: first, examining relevant concepts and developments in the intelligence landscape, particularly on the use of investigatory powers against economic cyber espionage; second, identifying minimum requirements for privacy and data protection; third, adapting those minimum requirements to the specific landscape and investigatory powers; and fourth, applying the identified minimum requirements to the framework on the use of investigatory cyber powers by intelligence and security services in the Netherlands. Finally, this research leads to several recommendations.