technical surveillance countermeasures Archives - Page 3 of 4

Unfair Competitive Edge Can be Averted through TSCM Sweep

There are so many reasons for electronic surveillance. Just about any situation that includes a competitive element provides the impetus for covert surveillance. Corporate and industrial espionage may be what first comes to mind, but spy listening devices can be used in every industry and field. According to an ESPN article from April, 2012, there were allegations that New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis had an electronic listening device installed in the Superdome that allowed him to eavesdrop on visiting coaches for nearly three NFL seasons. Football in America is much, much more than just a game – it’s full of multi-million dollar businesses – and the competition on the field is only a small bit of the competition between the teams. Cell phone [...]

Would a Bug Sweep of your Business Uncover any Spy Equipment?

Just like an average citizen might ask who would want anything from them enough to take the time to engage in cell phone tapping, businesses across the nation might ask who would install eavesdropping devices or engage in electronic surveillance in their organizations. The answer is evident in a report from the National Counterintelligence Executive (NCIX). The report says that foreign spies account for economic espionage costing “the United States economy as much as $400 billion or more per year.” Some say that is grossly understated. Now that’s BIG BUSINESS – and not the kind U.S. business wants to see. Is your business being targeted? Corporate secrets and intellectual property are highly valued by competitors and years of research and development could be wiped out [...]

Divorce and Children: Investigations of Marital Infidelity Used in Child Custody Decisions

What starts with a request from one spouse for to find proof of a cheating spouse or other marital infidelity often expands into another area: child custody. The requests to find evidence of an extramarital affair by an unfaithful wife or unfaithful husband continue to surge, which is why we have much experience in this area. Many times, one spouse is already talking with an attorney and they already believe there have been signs of an affair and just need evidence. Other times, it is not a secret affair or a desire to catch a cheating spouse. It could be financial or personal infidelity. Little (or not so little) lies or secrecy surrounding finances or activities could be the impetus for surveillance as well. And [...]

Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) provides security – in more ways than one!

Many companies have Intellectual Property Protection insurance for protection. But insurance is only good after a theft or breach of confidential or proprietary information. Wouldn’t it be a better idea to prevent a loss before it happens? When a business hires to do a bug sweep, or more precisely, TSCM, it’s because they want to be proactive and protect proprietary corporate information from being leaked or lost. The TSCM process includes acting as a bug detector, revealing eavesdropping devices and spy equipment. But the actual bug detection services do much more. The benefits to a company or organization are much broader: Protection of damage to income and profits Continued viability of business strategy and processes Security of intellectual property Privacy, both corporate and personal is [...]

TSCM Ensures a Gift is Sincere, Not an Eavesdropping Device

With the door to technology wide open, some people think the days of phone tapping and other spy listening devices are over. They think that all covert surveillance is computer surveillance or cell phone tapping. Let me be the first to tell you, that’s not true – in the least. The stereotypical covert operation to plant eavesdropping devices still happens, but spy equipment could just as easily be carried into your offices in the hands of a presumed “friend.” A great example is a comment I caught in an article I was recently reading about gifts that business people receive. The caution was to beware of gifts from business associates or acquaintances of items that you would keep in your office – something framed or [...]

Baby Monitors as Spy Equipment? Don’t Laugh, It’s True

Did you ever think that your baby monitor could be a spy listening device? That’s right. With technology moving ahead, parents are able to connect to their baby monitors and while these eavesdropping devices are meant to keep baby safe, the can also end up being used as electronic surveillance by bad guys. How it works is that the baby monitor connects to the local Wi-Fi network and broadcasts audio to an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. The app for the mobile device is free to download. Audio surveillance equipment has never been easier for bad guys – at least when there’s a baby in the house. The danger is that baby monitors are being installed in homes for use with seniors, too. And we [...]

Covert Surveillance and Spy Listening Devices are Rooted Out in Bug Sweeps

The other day, I was thinking about all the people who call to ask us to install phone tapping equipment or put a mobile phone tap on a cell phone to find out the truth about someone or some situation. We won’t do that because it’s illegal, but there are other ways that are legal to get the information they want – or find out how others are getting information they shouldn’t have. One thing we often remind clients is that a cell phone is a computer. While someone may be suspicious about the activity on a spouse’s/girlfriend’s/boyfriend’s/co-worker’s phone, the user could simply be playing a game, checking a bank balance, transferring money, or even entering what they ate into an app they’re using to [...]

Know Who Comes Into Your Home or Business to Prevent the Installation of Listening Devices

Ahh, physical access to your home or business; bad guys love that and you might never even realize that you opened the door and invited them in. Here at we have seen so many things over the years and while technology moves on creating more spy listening devices, we have to add them to the list instead of replacing old with the new. The field of technical counter surveillance measures just expands. Our experience in Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) has shown us that access to your home or business opens up a wide array of spy surveillance options for bad guys. During TSCM sweeps we have uncovered many spy devices, including: A bug in a strip outlet, a clock, a radio or any other appliance [...]

Bug Sweep in Preparation for Top-Level Confidential Board Meetings

I just heard that the Teacher’s Union in a major metropolitan city has sent a notice of intent to strike to the school district. I won’t comment on that, but it did remind me of a case took on not too long ago when another company needed a Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) specialist and specialized TSCM services. The Board of a large corporation was intending to meet to discuss a major change for the organization – there was even talk of a change of ownership. The rumors had workers and management nervous and twitchy. The Board knew that if any information they discussed leaked out, it could be disastrous for the current operations and, if they did change ownership, for the valuation of the company. [...]

Technical Surveillance Countermeasures Can Start Outside

You may think that tapping phone lines at your home means someone has to gain access inside the house. While it is possible to install phone tapping devices inside the rooms of your home or office, but you have to know that a bad guy doesn’t even have to get in your house to tap a phone line. A visit to the outside box or the riser could result in the bad guy getting access to your phone line and adding a phone tap device. That’s right. A visit to the box that’s on the outside of your home or office could provide the opportunity for your phone lines to be tampered with and allow your conversations to be overheard. It’s not just the box [...]