This would be like someone specifically (not vaguely) stating their intent to commit a violent crime and then spend months preparing for it. Yeah, law enforcement, please definitely follow up on that one.
Your average web dev probably isn’t familiar but navigating this is a routine consideration in deep tech.
ofc, like in any security-related field, many are LARPing instead of practicing, and that's a different issue.
A "real" national security background check requires support and sponsorship from a national government, and governments don't provide that casually to anyone that asks. If a startup finds themselves with national security customers, there is no requirement for the startup to go full-on Secret Squirrel but governments will calibrate their trust in the startup by how seriously the startup takes security and how diligent they are when vetting employees. It does not involve everyone getting a security clearance, which would not be possible anyway if the startup works with multiple national governments.
I find the opposite situation is more common in practice: startups that find themselves in the national security space are often naive about what constitutes a baseline level of security, vetting their employees, and the pervasiveness and character of espionage programs.
It is important to recognize that national security considerations are starting to affect startups that never go anywhere near national security customers due to escalating concerns and increased rigor around software supply chains. You may not have an interest in national security but national security may take an interest in you. This has ramifications for many software business models.
https://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/policy-guidance/deemed-exp...
Interviewing for a job with the prior stated intent of pilfering their IP is fraudulent.
The IP theft is a private concern. The national security implications are public. What OP describes seems worth criminal investigation.
I mean obviously if the said person did pilfer, or attempted to pilfer, it would be illegal.
But is there any law against interviewing for a job, while having a prior statement of intending to pilfer? Or in a more general sense, interviewing for a position while previously saying that they intend to breach the contract?
I'd imagine that there could only be ground for a lawsuit if 1) a contract has been signed, and 2) the stated activity has at least been attempted.
OP...you should definitely report this to the FBI.
If you try to hire a hitman, the FBI will definitely investigate even though no crime has been committed.