Veteran Investigation Services(VIS)SM
"Serving with commitment,since 1962" ©
We offer world class TSCM (Technical Surveillance Counter-Measures) services to wide range of clients who needs to protect their business interests from covert surveillance.
Protecting your business from corporate espionage and electronic eavesdroppers makes sound economic sense. Since decades, we have been conducting many professional and effective TSCM assignments to keep your valuable information safe from prying eyes.
With our wide range of international networks, we work globally to protect your privacy and maintain the safety of your confidential information and personal communications wherever you are in the world.
Our TSCM Expertise
TSCM (Technical Surveillance Counter-Measures), also known as counter-eavesdropping or bug sweeping is the process of electronically and physically inspecting any kind of building or site (commercial or domestic), vehicle (land craft, aircraft, watercraft) for the presence of electronic eavesdropping or bugging devices.
The advent of multimedia devices, wireless communications over GSM, 3G, 4G, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and other remote control technologies allow huge scope for the eavesdropping of, copying, onward transmission or removal of massive amounts of sensitive data from otherwise very secure environments by the staff employed within, with or without their knowledge.
As such any professional TSCM inspection must include technical and physical testing to identify and locate all forms of eavesdropping attack including but not limited to the following;
Our experience in organizing TSCM operations spans hundreds of inspections throughout the country and includes clients in mining, law, finance, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, construction, retail, aerospace, and government, as well as celebrities and high net worth individuals.
Counter Surveillance Equipment
Our TSCM sweeps use the most up to date equipment available globally, as well as methods and techniques perfected through years of experience within counter surveillance.
We use the very latest sophisticated electronic TSCM search equipment to detect the presence of both active and passive bugging devices, promiscuous monitors and keystroke loggers. We continuously review new developments to upgrade all counter surveillance equipment used.
In addition, we also examine computers and word-processors for possible sources of data leaks and intrusive surveillance software. This can form part of a TSCM inspection or be provided as a separate service.
Our TSCM Inspections
We can either inspect business and associated premises after an information loss or incident, or schedule regular TSCM sweeps to enhance the long-term security of business meetings and confidential information.
After initial contact we carry out a risk assessment via a covert site visit or telephone conference, including a review of floor plans. Following this we produce a detailed written proposal outlining your requirements, our service and pricing.
Once commissioned, we handle all arrangements, cover stories and procedures for allowing the TSCM operation to commence with the minimum of disruption and input to you, the client.
Our TSCM inspections are carried out covertly and normally outside standard office hours (overnight or at the weekend).
We ensure an appropriate cover story is in place and supported by documentation. In addition to the TSCM inspection, we also carry out a physical security review of your target areas, focusing on all aspects of the security of the site.
Unlike other TSCM providers, this service is performed as part of our standard TSCM inspection and our clients have found it invaluable in helping to enhance the overall security of information and assets on site.
After the inspection we produce a comprehensive written report outlining all the work carried out during the inspection. This report also details the physical security review undertaken and makes recommendations on the physical, procedural and logical steps required to further secure your interests.
Securing Global Business Locations
The challenges for traveling company executives often require the use of hotels, homes or satellite offices in various countries to conduct important business. A dedicated technical attack will often seek to exploit reduced levels of security at these satellite locations to gain important information.
A comprehensive TSCM service should include any such global locations. We travel anywhere in the world to help secure satellite locations and provide consistently high levels of protection for your assets.
Your Ongoing Security
As a valued client, we will keep you informed of developments in surveillance and emerging threats that may affect your business after receiving your TSCM bug sweeping operation.
To ensure long term security, most corporate clients schedule regular inspections, normally 6 monthly, or during times of particularly sensitive business activity.
How to identify the signs of being under surveillance?
Electronic eavesdropping, hacking and covert surveillance are all on the increase. This is due to the highly competitive commercial and political environment we live in, as well as the massive rewards that the sale of stolen intelligence can bring.
The ability to identify some of the subtle signs of covert surveillance can help you to spot and deal with potential threats to your reputation, competitiveness and bottom line before critical damage occurs.
Here are some warning signs to look out for:
There is evidence that your private and confidential information is known in the public domain.
There are signs of interference in the quality of your electronic communications.
Your office or home shows signs of unexplained disturbance.
You notice unusual or unscheduled human activity around restricted or private areas.
Think you are under surveillance? Act now.
What should I do if I suspect I may be under surveillance, or have been bugged?
Use secure communication methods.
To minimise risk of leaking sensitive information, your first course of action is to use secure communication methods outside of the area(s) you suspect are under surveillance.
If you suspect industrial espionage it may also be prudent to reschedule any meetings or confidential discussions to take place before the target area is inspected.
Minimize security risks.
Keep knowledge of your fears of being bugged to as few people as possible.
Only discuss the matter with personnel who need to be involved with the commissioning of a bug sweep or counter surveillance inspection.
Conduct a risk assessment.
Arrange a risk assessment of the area(s) you suspect to be under surveillance by a bug sweeping specialist as soon as possible.
A risk assessment of the area(s) of concern may reveal the need for a full inspection by a TSCM and counter surveillance company.
Do not try to conduct an inspection yourself, or to use available high street equipment. Inferior equipment and knowledge will not detect bugs, eavesdropping devices, telephone and wire taps, keystroke loggers or surveillance devices.
What can I expect from a competent TSCM Bug Sweeping Company?
Do not be fooled into conducting a bug sweep on the cheap. It is essential that a sweep is carried out professionally if it is to have any hope of success in finding hidden bugs. Sweeps take time and effort and should be conducted by professionals.
Initial risk assessment.
A competent TSCM (bug sweeping) company will discuss your suspicions and fears and risk assess the situation. If needed, they will arrange to meet with you to discuss the problem away from the suspected area.
Discretion.
A professional counter surveillance company will be very discreet in their dealings with you. They should thoroughly discuss and understand your requirements for an inspection. In some cases a competent company may even advise against having a TSCM inspection or bug sweep, if after assessing the evidence they feel it is not appropriate or is not required.
Specialist skills and expertise.
A specialist TSCM (bug sweeping) company with many years experience will have a large and current inventory of equipment and trained personnel at their disposal. A good counter surveillance company will also have many years experience of working in global locations to draw upon in solving your surveillance problem.
Counter surveillance services.
A specialist TSCM (bug sweeping) company will offer a range of services to suit your requirements. These include physical security reviews, computer scanning and IP detection, layered security inspections and reporting.
TSCM (bug sweeping) inspection.
The TSCM (bug sweeping) inspection should be conducted covertly, out of normal office hours with little or no personnel on site during the operation.
A suitable cover story should be in place and have supporting documentation to divert attention away from the counter surveillance inspection team, contractors or unauthorised staff.
Post operation reporting.
A thorough post operation report should be provided soon after the inspection detailing any findings, the equipment and procedures used during the inspection, any relevant test results and a schedule of the areas inspected.
A professional TSCM firm should also report on any physical and electronic security findings which would enable electronic eavesdropping or indeed any form of industrial espionage to take place.
Implementation of a detailed and comprehensive report post operation will reduce the likelihood of being the target of industrial espionage or unauthorised eavesdropping.
How do I determine the scope of areas to be included in a counter espionage inspection?
The scope of a counter surveillance inspection.
The areas for inclusion in a TSCM (bug sweeping) inspection are assessed during the initial meeting with the counter surveillance service supplier. This initial risk assessment will focus on the most likely targets for information theft.
These areas normally include meeting rooms and areas where confidential company information is discussed, or where services or circuits carrying confidential information is accessible.
The main areas for counter espionage inspection.
The main areas for counter surveillance operations include the offices of senior management and their personal assistants, specific and general meeting/conference rooms, research and development departments, the offices housing legal departments, offices of persons arranging counter surveillance inspections and computer/telecoms rooms and risers.
The inspection may also include rooms adjoining these areas, as technology is available to listen and pick up room audio through walls.
We would advise you of the areas to be inspected and justify the recommendations with clarity.
1. The Telephone Modification
A leading media company became suspicious of being bugged after discovering leaked financial information and details relating to a confidential launch and specialist publications.
Their initial investigations ruled out most common causes of information loss and VIS was asked to perform a TSCM (bug sweeping) inspection of areas where this confidential information had been discussed.
During the bug sweeping inspection the digital telephone system was tested using our TALAN testing equipment. Analogue audio was found to be present on spare cables from the telephone in three of the target locations and audio was present when the telephone units were on hook or off hook.
This meant that room audio was being passed constantly down a spare pair of wires out of the target location. The telephone system was a digital PABX type so no analogue audio should have been detected leaving the telephone in any situation.
We traced the spare cables and found that the structured cabling had been modified and the spares wires had been diverted to terminal blocks under the sub floor within the IT equipment room. This modification was used to connect suitable recorders to the spare pairs containing the room audio, proving electronic eavesdropping had been taking place.
By handling the operation covertly, VIS helped uncover suspected inside help with this spying operation. Any conversations within the three rooms with the modified telephone units would have been clearly recorded. VIS recorded all findings and presented a detailed technical report to the client for further investigation.
2. The Non-Technical Attack
The senior management of a large Indian public/government body were concerned that confidential details of a high level meeting involving restructuring was known to non-authorised staff. VIS was called in to investigate and to carry out a TSCM (bug sweeping) inspection of the senior management suite of offices at their main headquarters building.
A deep sweep inspection of the target areas found no evidence of unauthorised surveillance.
However, included in our TSCM service is a physical security review of the target areas. This is designed to identify any vulnerability in the building security or work procedures that may lead to information loss.
During this phase of the counter surveillance inspection, our team discovered some major vulnerability in the physical security layers in place to protect the senior mangers suite. The door entry system had been turned off for convenience. This meant that there was no physical barrier or audit trail to prevent unauthorised staff or agents from gaining access to the senior mangers offices. Although some of the individual office doors were locked all of the keys for these senior manager's offices and meeting rooms were in an unlocked key cupboard sited at the reception serving this area.
Further investigation showed that in three of the main offices and also in the senior managers secretarial support area, Dictaphone recordings containing full details of the confidential meeting in question were available.
We concluded that the most plausible explanation for the information leak was that an unauthorised employee had gained access to the senior management suite, They had then removed and listened to the contents of one of the unprotected recordings containing details of the meeting. The Dictaphone was then returned and the information disseminated to other members of staff.
The uncontrolled access to the office, the unprotected recordings lying around and the fact the building contained many shift workers gave further weight to this conclusion. VIS provided a detailed report with recommendations to enhance the general security of this area and also new procedures for storage and handling of confidential information and media.
This case study illustrates the importance of a thorough physical security review and an understanding of information loss.