The FBI is concerned that some of the technology developed in Pittsburgh could fall into the wrong hands.

The Rand Corporation, one of the world's top private think tanks , which handles classified information for the government, is located in Oakland.

According to them, that information is something both U.S. enemies and even allies would pay dearly to have.

"The threat is very serious," said Jeff Predmore, of Rand. "We don't go a week without some type of notice coming back that we've been either targeted for information proprietary or collaterally."

Most of those notices turn out to be nothing, Predmore said.

In an area where more and more facilities, including the Software Engineering Institute at neighboring Carnegie Mellon University, work closely with the military, the FBI said it's trying to make sure secrets stay secrets.

"As they develop these systems that are used to protect our country, these other governments are taking that information," said Ray Morrow of the FBI.

Pittsburgh's FBI unit is now expanding what's called the Domain Program, a national effort to help institutions-at-risk for espionage.

The FBI has been warning companies like Rand about the growing threat, in which foreign countries often try to woo employees with money and what seem like harmless questions.

"Somebody asks for eggs, somebody else asks for milk, somebody else asks for the temperature of the oven," said Predmore. "And while each one of those are unclassified, when you put the three together, you're able to produce the cake which is the classified item."

For the time being, the FBI is asking any company that thinks it could be the potential victim of espionage to work with them.

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