Boston, MA – FBI Warns Colleges to Watch for Spies

Boston, MA – The head of the FBI’s Boston office is warning the region’s top universities to be on the lookout for foreign spies or potential terrorists who might be trying to steal unclassified, yet sensitive, research.

Worcester Polytechnic Institute President Dennis Berkey said the FBI told researchers to protect laptops, especially in foreign countries, and to be wary about who contacts them about their work.

“The general point was, if there is unnatural or unexplained interest in your research and you’re nervous about it, here’s how to be in touch with us,” Berkey said. He said WPI already takes precautions to protect research. [KLBJ]