They dont look out of place in almost any situation. In our last article about Route Surveys we focused on going from home to work and well be doing the same in this article. WebHow can you tell if someone is following you?First of all, make sure you are doing the basic check to see if you are being followed. If theres a gap between your finger and the mirror, its real. WebCounter surveillance techniques are intended to combat the harmful impact of surveillance tactics. Counter surveillance is a procedure that is used to identify and detect ongoing surveillance to develop a suitable countermeasure. A bug that has run out of power may not show up during a sweep, which means that the sweeper will not be alerted to the surveillance. You finish lunchand come back to your vehicle and to yourdismay the same vehicle is present again! WebRadiation detection equipment and devices like Geiger counters and pocket dosimeters are needed. You realize youve been robbed in broad daylight. In addition to these industries, there is the criminalelement and countless government agencies. The little-knowntruth is that anyone can become thesubject of such activities for any reasonat any time. A method does exist to find hidden recorders, as these typically use a well known frequency for the clock which can never be totally shielded. In my view as an old-school security guy counter works better for me when the surveillance has been detected, and we want to obtain intel and enforce one or more Ds (delay, deny, degrade, disrupt or destroy). Department of Homeland Security. theft of financial, personal or corporate data). Tips on staying active, fueled and ready to overcome all obstacles. WebTechnical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) can best be defined as The systematic physical and electronic examination of a designated area by properly trained, qualified and equipped persons in an attempt to discover electronic eavesdropping devices, security hazards or security weaknesses. Your direction is not usually known (since you switch things up), evasive moves can be made early, they are not sure when you may move and you may move quickly. CS basically turns the tables by conducting surveillance on the surveillance in order to collect more detailed information on it. We mustconsciously make an effort to scan our surroundings for anomalies. As you are walking up the citystreet you notice the same man a coupleof times. Sources of Unwanted Attention The word surveillance really means to observe.. Every once in awhile you can leave as normal and circle around the block right back to your house. Technology most commonly used for a bug sweep includes but is not limited to: Many companies create the hardware and software necessary to engage in modern countersurveillance including Kestrel TSCM, SignalHound, 3dB Labs, Arcale, and many others. There are three categories of anomalies which will help us spot potential trouble ina wide variety of scenarios. Alongside this though, there does remain the risk of an adversary using surveillance techniques such as installing keyloggers, intercepting Bluetooth and mimicking WiFi points to lure unsuspecting users. Structural Countermeasures These are measures taken to surveil if you are being surveilled. By looking for 1) people, 2) objects, and 3) behavior that deviates from what you expect to be normal for that time and location, you will be able to squirrel out much more than just surveillance. It takes a lot of practice doing surveillance to be able to use a ruse or disguise effectively. Now it is time to learn how to stop them in their tracks,foil their plans, and be a ghost they cant follow. By simply being alert and aware, the potential victim raises the risk level for the bad guy, which in some cases, is enough to make them seek other opportunities.. Employing passive or active approaches to surveillance will depend entirely on your overall goal. Visualize each anomalyyou recognize, whether it is people, behavior or objects. Lets now highlight the differences between counter-surveillance and anti-surveillance. Hazmat crews and many fire trucks routinely carry such equipment with them, and they would probably be the first to detect abnormal levels We explore the different countersurveillancemethods available including technical, cyber and structural measures. This RF detector, otherwise known as a bug detector, is an all-around excellent device for locating and pinpointing modern wireless bugging devices. Take a moment to picture in your mindthe types of people you think would bethe typical subject of an investigation. Items such as audio recorders can be very difficult to detect using electronic equipment. This will let you put the pieces of the puzzle together and confirm your suspicions. I know I keep saying make them move on to someone else, but that is exactly what you want to have happen. Counter Surveillance is defined as the actions that a person (or team) carries out, in order to detect that a person (Principal) is under If you can deny information gathering and show yourself as a hard target you will force the attackers to make a couple of choices. Is that guy at the bus stop watching you or simply waiting for the bus? All rights reserved, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window). Having a camera, binoculars, or a notebook on the dashboard are dead giveaways. It is incredibly easy to become the target of a physical surveillance. 6104 W Pioneer Pkwy Ste 212Arlington, TX 76013, Proudly managed inthe great state of Texas. There may be a great attack site on one of your routes, but if you deny them the opportunity to follow you on that route they may not know about it. If they do make sure to write down the description of the vehicle and people. What was thefirst red flag that really made you want to act? So you need to play it smart here. This, of course, includes you! Learning to recognize anomalies is the fast track to securing your life. One of the upcoming articles will be about checking your vehicle. The lunch crowds have thinned outand you are approaching a more industrialside of town. Make no mistakeabout it: If you are not aware of a problem, youcannot solve it. They are oftenthe first warning signal telling you something is wrong. Looking around may make the person watching you think you are looking right at them. That is the intent of these articles and discussing ways to keep you safe is the foundation of ITS Tactical. Best practices involving up to date medical information and life saving equipment. In this case its your work address. Dash Cam Pros And Cons (Benefits And Drawbacks You Need to Know), 6 Best Family Locator Apps (That Actually Work), Best Outdoor PTZ Security Camera (Reviews And Comparison), Best Smart Home Security Cameras (Reviews And Comparison), Best Fake TV Simulators To Deter Burglars. It can activate within seconds and lets even new users sweep and identify different frequencies with ease. I think somebody is following us or, I think I lost them are reactive expressions that we must turn into Protective Intelligence that leads to deep analysis and countermeasures. Depending on the situation, the person conducting the surveillance tactic will have to decide whether they will do so while walking or by using technical surveillance, like GPS-based tracking devices, email interception, telephone taps, or mobile phone monitoring. In fact, you should be aware that any premeditatedcrime was likely preceded by some form of reconnaissance. Some surveillance processes can take weeks or months of information gathering. Passive or active detection methods may be used. For example, if someone attempts to cause physical or reputational harm to your principal, they will likely do it through surveillance. WIRED, 3 Feb. 2023 That day, Rhodes attracted the attention of a US Capitol Police Counter Surveillance (CS) Counter surveillance is a follow-up measure that is taken only after hostile surveillance has been detected. Before you can employ active countermeasures to defeat a surveillance you need to be aware that something isnt right.. When do you leave home? Thanks to the generosity of our supporting members and occasionally earning money from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate, (when you click our Amazon links) weve eliminated annoying ads and content. This is why you must learnto recognize and defeat unlawful and malicious infringements of your privacy. COMSEC (communications security), ITSEC (information technology security) and physical security are also a major part of the work in the modern environment. If you suspect you are the victim of surveillance, what counter surveillance methods exist to help to detect it, prove its existence if necessary, and ultimately protect yourself and your privacy against it? Lets now highlight the differences between counter-surveillance and anti-surveillance. Therefore, in the space available here, Im going to point out the key principles to a counter surveillance operation. That way, you can quickly identify the whole surveillance team. You musttake away their initiative by being equally (or more) aware of them. The goals are to trick the attacker and prevent the attack by ending or thwarting the surveillance. WebU.S. The goals are to trick the attacker and prevent the attack by ending or thwarting the surveillance. Theyve taken the lessons learned frombeing surveillance subjects and evolved to using surveillance to enhance their own targetawareness. Learn how and when to remove this template message, List of counterintelligence organizations, "The Family of Technologies That Could Change The Privacy Dynamic", "Information Security Expert to Host Seminar on Counter Surveillance", "Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission's accomplished", "New Miss Teen USA claims she was the victim of an online extortion plot", "SCEPTRE Signal Processing Software 3dB Labs", "Data-collection program got green light from MacKay in 2011", "Confirmed: Canada Has NSA-Style Surveillance Program", Counterintelligence and counter-terrorism organizations, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Countersurveillance&oldid=1122032092, Articles with dead external links from September 2022, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles needing additional references from August 2013, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. If youre dealing with a one person surveillance he/she is most likely going to be in the same vehicle. Since you are using different routes, once you clear your first choke point you will make it difficult for them to find and follow you again. In broad terms, anti-surveillance tactics comprise a series of actions to identify sources of unwanted attention from the media, stalkers, followers, fixated persons, groups, or forms of hostile reconnaissance. This is part of a subconsciousrisk-versus-reward cycle that loops in thepredators brain. Since we are talking about individual techniques you wont have the luxury of having agents set up a Surveillance Detection Route. WebU.S. Sorry. Tools to give you the advantage over any Imminent Threats that come your way. Far too many people underestimate simple precautions such as shredding mail, locking mailboxes, and using a screen saver on the computer. You have some factors working for you as well. Transparent Lives is a prominent Canadian organization that aims to "demonstrate dramatically just how visible we have all become to myriad organizations and what this meansfor better or for worsefor how we conduct our everyday lives."[14]. You also want to appear as a hard target, so they move on to someone else. Now you are leaving the bank and walkingback to work when you notice his reflectionin a shop window. Structural Countermeasures Who do you interact with? You want to disrupt the take-away. That is one of the golden rules of surveillance; if you lose your target go to where you know they will show up. As mentioned in this good article, the most significant takeaway is this: The surveillance detection mindset. As youarrive at home, you notice muddy tire tracks on your nicely manicured lawn. For example, you know what is normal for your neighborhoodat any particular time. For example, do you have the time and the resources to continue with your routine and establish a. team to watch the watchers? First of all, dont touch the camera. The ultimate aim of counter-surveillance tactics is to identify the team or individual that is monitoring you and taking appropriate action afterward. Medical Bag Updates: Repacking & Maintaining Over the Counter Medications Go-To Preparedness Bags and Food Selections Consider the Three Ps Before Packing for Your Next Trip All Apparel Body Armor Camouflage Dive EDC Eyewear Footwear Headwear Lighting Load Bearing Night Vision Packs The Kepler Cardigan from PDW: Versatile Some surveillance processes can take weeks or months of information gathering. People who think in this mannerare at a major disadvantage as they havea mindset flaw with potentially lethalconsequences. Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) can best be defined as The systematic physical and electronic examination of a designated area by properly trained, qualified and equipped persons in an attempt to discover electronic eavesdropping devices, security hazards or security weaknesses. Passive or active detection methods may be used. Surveillance Detection is a series of techniques that you can employ to identify if you are being followed. Very sensitive equipment could be used to look for magnetic fields, or for the characteristic electrical noise emitted by the computerized technology in digital tape recorders; however, if the place being monitored has many computers, photocopiers, or other pieces of electrical equipment installed, it may become very difficult. WebTechnical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) can best be defined as The systematic physical and electronic examination of a designated area by properly trained, qualified and equipped persons in an attempt to discover electronic eavesdropping devices, security hazards or security weaknesses. 2023 epwired.com | All rights reserved. Avoid this by all means at first. And you dont want that. Department of Homeland Security. Lunch break finally rolls around and you walk into town to go to the bank and getsome food. Drive a boring vehicle. The best end location would be a cul-de-sac that has a sharp or continuous turn going into it, the kind that surprise you when you drive into it. You do not need a Chester the Molester or Free Candy van to work covert surveillance cases. I wont get into that yet, but one story Ive heard comes to mind. Pull into a rest area and let traffic go past. If you can take something away from this article, then let it be this: be surveillance-aware! Workers compensation cases frequently lead to surveillance. This will help you immensely and only through truly understanding how surveillance works can you learn how to counter it. Listen For Interference When Making A Call Most hidden cameras and microphones emit a tiny electromagnetic field when they transmit data. Electronic eavesdropping, or bugging, is currently unrestricted or goes disregarded in many countries worldwide. A van like that will cause every parent in the neighborhood to eye you with suspicion. But the key here is not to let them gather information on the routes you take. Its going to be impossible to tell an Officer you thought you were being followed so you were going 30 over (unless you actually were and called 911 to report it). Thisis the statement a victim makes some time before the inevitable, They came out ofnowhere it was just too late to act,report. As you areexiting the building at one of your stops,you notice a vehicle parked near yoursthat you recognize from the last stop. With the growing threat posed by cyber-attacks, the protection of data held online and on secure networks is paramount. Relieved, you continue on your way. As these prefixes mean against, it would be hard to establish commonly accepted criteria pointing to which actions or tasks areAntiand which areCounter. When areyou distracted? It may sound paranoid at first, but this approach is imperative in conducting anti-surveillance tactics. You do not need a Chester the Molester or Free Candy van to work covert surveillance cases. For those responsible for IT systems, cybersecurity methods such as access control, firewalls and general employee education on issues such as password best practice are essential. While someone parked outside your neighborhood or place of work who is watching your comings and goings is true surveillance, so is someone following you in a car or on foot. It is your day off and you have lots oferrands to run. At ITS, our goal is to foster a community dedicated to learning methods, ideas and knowledge that could save your life. (Photo by iStock Photo) 1. Look around for vehicles or people moving. In retrospect, you recall this car has been behind you since you left there. (Photo by iStock Photo) 1. Anomalies are breaks in an establishedor expected baseline. This page was last edited on 15 November 2022, at 13:41. Copyright 2023 Mitie Security Ltd. All rights reserved. When you ask what he is referring to he informs you that you just missed the movingcompany that left minutes ago. [12] This program searches for and collects meta-data of Canadians across the country.[13]. If the same car shows up at home and work, thats called a clue. Consterdine hits the nail on the head with this: Anti-surveillance starts with mindset the belief that someone is watching you. You cant see into thevehicle because the windows are very dark. As well as measures such as an absence of windows, electromagnetic shielding and strict access control can be implemented for an existing room such as a boardroom, a secure room or faraday cage could be installed to provide assurance of electromagnetic interference protection. Nanny Cams: look carefully at light bulbs, clock radios, picture frames, lighters, water bottles and USB chargers). Make them move on to the easy target or make them realize they are going to have a fight on their hands. Same as the really old word, Seeking Professional Change in the EP Industry, Situational Awareness A Foundational Element in Protective Operations and other Security Related Fields, Executive Protection in India: Interview with Varun Kareparambil, Greed in Executive Protection: EP Series on Ethics, Alleged Ties of Haiti Assassination and Miami Security Firm, Useful Advice on Travel and Vehicle Selection in West Africa, Why You Need an Executive Protection Agent: The Big Reasons, A Woman in Executive Protection: Interview with Dr Mary Beth Wilkas Janke. [11], In 2011, Defence Minister Peter MacKay authorized a program to search telephone and internet usage for suspicious activities. Another superficial but exciting debate is if Anti fits the etymology for ongoing SD operations (preventive or reactive) rather than Counter. Same debate in, -terrorism. The word surveillance really means to observe.. Or are you limited with both and want to expose those conducting surveillance on you and your principal? Measures undertaken to prevent surveillance, International movements currently active In Canada. Get our best outdoor and self-reliance tips, delivered right to your inbox! It could be seconds, hours, or months. These are measures taken to surveil if you are being surveilled. Click the Learn More button below for details.