> So here we are, everyone fantasizing about espionage.

Espionage isn't a fantasy, it's very much real. People go to jail for it all the time. The only question is to what degree might a company be affected or targeted. Taking steps to add a reasonable layer of security to attempt to protect costly IP isn't being paranoid at all. Not to mention that in some environments there are legal requirements, a prime example being aerospace.

We have had the experience of having an employee provide confidential technical information to a multi-billion dollar international competitor. The same competitor that, for as long as a year, bribed top resellers not to feature our products at industry trade shows. Business can be absolutely brutal and, yes, it can be war.