Exec Security TSCM

12/05/2024

TSCM and planned attacks

Technical Surveillance Countermeasures, TSCM, is an essential part of executive protection.

The attack and murder of the CEO of United Healthcare on Wednesday emphasizes many aspects of the need for heightened security of executives. A very important consideration is also information security and communications security.

A well planned attack will inevitably have included some form of surveillance and intelligence gathering, quite possibly using multiple means of obtaining the desired intelligence.

Consider some of the information an attacker would want to know.
- Where will the target be at certain times?
- Is there any regular schedule?
- Are there special activities taking place (a restaurant for lunch, private meetings, taking in a show)?
- What staff or security personnel will be present?

All of this information could be gleaned from interception of communications, whether it was in a phone call or just a discussion or meeting. Not just bugging devices, but covert video, recording devices, audio interception, and many other concerns need to be considered. Paper documents as well are often targets of surveillance and left unprotected.

These types of threats and vulnerabilities are what professional TSCM seeks to uncover and mitigate. We consider these concerns on every inspection and sweep. If you want to be sure you have covered all bases, you should include TSCM in your security protocols.

Ongoing, regular, proactive sweeps are also key to being prepared for the many sorts of security incidents that may occur. Past TSCM reports often provide insight into vulnerabilities and potential areas where information leaks and compromise may have occurred.

A recent ASIS article about the United Healthcare incident (linked below) includes mention of four things that an Executive Protection risk analysis should include. One of those items is:

"How are adversaries gaining information about the executive?"
This is where regular TSCM inspections are essential.

Hopefully the people behind this recent attack and horrendous taking of life will be quickly found and brought to justice.

Read more:

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, was shot and killed this morning in what appears to be a targeted attack. Here, executive protection and security leaders weigh in on threats to CEOs today.

08/08/2024

Understanding security of trade secrets is important.
How do you protect trade secret status?
Over $2 billion is at stake for one company who was spied on.

https://execsecurity.com/news/are-your-trade-secrets-protected-tscm-can-help/

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Trade Secret classification helps to protect your information, but what helps to protect your trade secrets? That may sound like a little double-talk, but there is significant meaning in it. The Economic Espionage Act of 1996, as amended by the Defend Trade Secrets Act, provides for federal criminal...

06/19/2024

Short snippet from an interview at the 2023 Close Protection Conference.
Privacy and confidentiality are important for corporate meetings and communications, yet often left unprotected.

10/22/2023

Good news for frequent flyers. United has opened it's third remodeled lounge in EWR in C. Now there are two in terminal C and one in terminal A.

Almost makes it worth putting up with all the other problems!

07/18/2023

Keep your security schedules confidential! You probably do not want a TV news team showing up during your ops.

The investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation appears to be basic due diligence, perhaps. Apparently someone was concerned that the CCTV cameras in the Nashville District Attorney, Glenn Funk's office might be recording a little too much audio. To ensure nothing nefarious was going on,....

06/25/2023

Here are a few more informative videos about corporate espionage activities from China.

You should also expect that it's not just China, nations as well as other businesses are looking for a way to gain an advantage at your expense.

The world of corporate espionage is ever growing. In an effort to keep abreast of current events, recent videos help to provide a good background, especially how the Chinese communist government has been conducting their spy efforts, something that all corporate security personnel need to be aware o...

06/17/2023

Many people don't realize the dangers that high tech espionage presents to corporations.

Bloomberg just released a short video looking into recent industrial espionage conducted by Huawei against TDC and Ericsson.

We conduct professional sweeps regularly to help catch and prevent these types of incidents.

Bloomberg has created a short video about a serious espionage case. Huawei launched an extensive espionage program against Danish telecom firm TDC. Bidders for a new 5G program had been Huawei and Erissson, somehow, Huawei knew about Ericsson's bid. The tactics included a variety of surveillance tec...

12/10/2022

Great to be at the CPC Close Protection Conference 2022.

07/04/2022

Happy Fourth

05/02/2022

People don't seem to learn- eavesdropping is not a good thing and can often come back to bite you.

Two recent incidents point to problems that arise if/when you are caught-

American Idol winner's reputation takes a hit and an attorney and client end up in hot water as well.

https://execsecurity.com/news/american-idol-winner-laine-hardy-arrested-for-eavsdropping/

https://execsecurity.com/news/lawyer-and-client-sued-for-eavesdropping/

Another episode of "Thinking of Eavesdropping? Don't Do It!" PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota Supreme Court says an invasion of privacy claim shouldn’t have been dismissed in favor of the defendants involving recordings that a wife secretly made to use against her husband in a divorce case...

03/20/2022

Spies working for PRC arrested for planting surveillance devices.

Five Individuals Charged Variously with Stalking, Harassing, and Spying on U.S. Residents on Behalf of the PRC Secret Police
Their activities included planting cameras and gps devices in the home of a pro-democracy Chinese national.

Five Individuals Charged with Stalking, Harassing, and Spying on U.S. Residents on Behalf of the PRC Secret Police The FBI has brought charges against five individuals for spying and acting on behalf of the People's Republic of China. The charges include electronic surveillance done by planting cove...