Leading expert Peter Torley of PDL explores the growing challenges of defeating those monitoring us – while also avoiding poor Counter-Surveillance standards
It’s not very often that you see the term ‘Counter-Surveillance’ in the headlines here in London, or indeed anywhere in the UK.
But be prepared to see a lot more of it in the near future as more and more UK businesses – and indeed government agencies – continue to deal with the various security threats that come with finding themselves increasingly under one type of surveillance or another.
And, as the prevalence of business surveillance increases (with more sophisticated techniques providing greater challenges to all of us in the profession) clients need to be aware that cheap ‘off-the-shelf’ solutions no longer cut the mustard. Indeed, if you’re offered such an amateur ‘solution’, it’s time to pause and think if that’s what your business deserves.
More specific details on that in a moment, but firstly it was in fact a recent headline from the United States that prompted me to write a few words now on Counter-Surveillance and its increasing relevance.
Donald Trump
Following the massive news that an assassination attempt was made on the life of former President Donald Trump, there gradually followed several allegations that the US security authorities had dropped the ball in their Counter-Surveillance approaches.
Fox News reported that an ex-Secret Service agent ‘couldn’t believe’ that there wasn’t any counter-surveillance in place during the assassination attempt. And NBC reported that the agencies involved could – at a bare minimum – even have deployed plainclothes Counter-Surveillance agents to stop the gunman.
That, of course, is a pretty basic ‘old-school’ approach to a particular issue of Counter-Surveillance in the Trump case.
But in Britain’s modern business world – with technology evolving exponentially and with competition between businesses continually intensifying – the risk of your business being under highly sophisticated surveillance is very, very real.
So, if you have reason to suspect your commercial activities are being covertly monitored, you’ll appreciate that it’s now becoming increasingly challenging to outsmart those listening in to your calls and discussions.
Buyer Beware: Quick and Cheap or Thoroughly Professional?
While you will understandably want to get the Counter-Surveillance task completed as soon as possible, it’s important not to rush into choosing a seemingly quick and cheap solution. Very often, the cheaper and the quicker the work means that the end result will not be effective. It will not have been carried out in depth, and ultimately will probably necessitate engaging a fully qualified and ratified professional to complete the work thoroughly.
Are you one of those at high risk of Surveillance?
Let’s have a look firstly at the top three types deemed to be especially at risk of coming under surveillance:
- Businesses working in highly competitive markets
- High net-worth individuals
- Spouses going through divorce
There are many more of course but, first, what actually is Counter-Surveillance?
As the name suggests, Counter-Surveillance involves taking steps to prevent or detect surveillance, including covert activities employed against you. Techniques may include such things as detecting hidden surveillance devices.
When effectively implemented, successful Counter-Surveillance can identify and neutralise any hostile monitoring of your business or private life.
Changed work practices play into their hands
The pandemic has, in very significant ways, changed the way most businesses and individuals operate regarding work. For example, with more people logging in from home, that level of relatively open access has inadvertently opened the doors for easier covert surveillance of one’s activities.
And in the commercial world especially, with many high-end businesses now choosing to meet in ‘halfway houses’ – such as hotels close to a major airport – it becomes increasingly difficult to avoid the threat of the premises having been bugged ahead of your meeting.
How PDL excels in Counter-Surveillance
The overwhelming advantage that we at PDL have over our competitors – and this is across all aspects of our work – is our approach and our knowledge.
Naturally, and as you would expect, our Counter-Surveillance approach covers all the bases. From domestic issues at one end of the scale to working alongside high-end, global businesses discussing incredibly sensitive information. Through all of this, our knowledge and approach helps and reassures those at risk of being subject to intrusive surveillance.
We also – more recently – have now begun to advise a large number of clients on how they can safely work with entrepreneurs on implementing constantly improving device security.
The Effectiveness of our Counter Measures
At PDL, we regularly find that we are called into a company on the back of their previous attempts at counter-surveillance ‘sweeps’ having failed.
This is largely because either not enough time or care has not been allocated to the ‘sweep’ by the service provider; or, on the other hand, the detection equipment used is of an over-the-counter type without the ability to successfully find the devices that, well, are just now so clever that they can easily escape detection by substandard, run-of-the-mill equipment.
This is why it is so crucial to use only sophisticated professional-grade equipment that can counter the range of frequencies in the latest bugging devices. And that’s what we at PDL use every time.
Indeed, in terms of the specialist Frequency Knowledge needed in this line of work, our team is unsurpassed.
For example, from our base in London’s Mayfair, we frequently send our teams all over the world. As a result, we have perfected procedures for detecting the different frequencies used in different countries around the globe. Like we always say at PDL – knowledge is indeed the key.
Counter-Surveillance: do you get what you pay for?
It’s a fact that some of our competitors charge exorbitant fees for a quick Counter-Surveillance sweep that may be largely ineffective. What’s even more shocking is that they often spend maybe just half an hour on the job, wave their equipment around a little, and then leave. Indeed, many of them lack the necessary basic training and knowledge, which is a serious concern to our industry as a whole.
Likewise, many companies may be tempted to try a DIY approach using equipment they’ve bought from somewhere like eBay. When that equipment is positioned around a commercial office or client’s home address, it may very well flash and beep and seem both impressive and reassuring. But is it really? What we find is that this approach rarely, if ever, goes deep enough to find the latest, sophisticated surveillance devices.
Guaranteed
So, reassuringly, with PDL you are guaranteed a fully immersive Counter-Surveillance sweep/investigation.
What’s more, in addition to one-time surveys, we can also offer the continuous monitoring and detection which are crucial for high-stakes events in the commercial world.
No stone unturned
The bottom line is that when we leave your office, we will have left absolutely no stone unturned in finding the bug that other services may never find.
Additionally, we offer you a detailed report with recommendations for strengthening your existing Counter-Surveillance measures.
Talk to us now and let’s beat those buggers – professionally and thoroughly.
Check our full Counter-Surveillance Service here.
