Now, someone may think, and an alarming number of people do, since John X is not networking from the company’s Y social media account but from his own, there is nothing wrong and no harm done. WRONG. Anyone who works for you and has his work title/position linked to your company, represent your brand and is responsible for your reputation and can also be a liability for you and considered as the weak link of your company or someone who’s online activities are such that your competitors can use it against you. A bad security operative working for you shows the public how low your standards may or may not be and degrade the standards you appear to have when hiring people and how, apparently, you do not care about ethical considerations and personality traits.
Keeping Your Edge: Is Unity In Our Profession Dead?
As the President-Elect wrapped up his speech, now joined onstage by his extended family, my attention was on the members of the United States Secret Service who were close by. I thought of these men and the job that they were tasked to do. Not knowing them personally, I wasn’t aware of their political affiliations, were they a Democratic like Biden, or a Republican, rooting for the current President, Trump? They, like every other citizen of the country, were allowed to cast their votes, and could have picked either, or none. However, at that moment, on that stage, I don’t think it mattered. These agents, surely knowing the risk associated with the occasion, were focused on the task at hand: The safety of their protective charges, no matter their personal political affiliation.
Communication Planning – Hardware & Technology
It is inevitable if you work within the security sector that at some point, you will have has a radio thrust in your direction for you to use as your primary form of communication.
Yet many of you will not have received any significant training on it, yet this one tool that may just save your life.
In this article, we’re covering some of the things you might have missed.
Lose the Fear, Love a Process!
But of course, the students who flood off to colleges and universities in their late teens and twenties are rarely bedevilled by such thoughts! So why, when it comes to learning later in life, to undertaking vocational-related training and – of course – distance-learning, do we find it so difficult to succeed?
Cyber Security Hiring
Whether you’re a seasoned cybersecurity professional or are looking to transition into the industry, it’s hard to know how to grab the attention of hiring managers and ultimately improve your chances of making it to the next stage.
Here are eight top tips from Renana Friedlich-Barsky, Director and Global Head of Cybersecurity Operations at PayPal, a proven leader in this space who’s reviewed more than her fair share of applications over the years.
Clients Should You Trust them?
There needs to be a healthy relationship with your clients, you don’t want to let them dominate you, and you don’t want to try to dominate and control them.
Boundaries must always be made clear as this works to protect you and your client’s interests. Clients are not your friends, they are clients paying you to provide them with a service, and if boundaries are ignored, it can undermine any respect in the business relationship.
Cyber Security
Especially while many people are still remote, technology has become more and more central to people’s lives, and we are talking about ways that things will or will not return to normal. As we hear about more and more cyber security incidents, each supposedly carried out by ‘sophisticated threat actors with unprecedented capabilities’, it’s time to talk about the mystique of cyber security and the problem it has with public perception.
Global Situation Report – September 2021
As the battle for control of Afghanistan unfolds following the withdrawal of foreign troops, Pakistan will aim to consolidate its influence in the country.
Pakistan has historically relied on its good relationship with the Afghan Taliban to keep TTP fighters in check. As it awaits the rise of the ultimate power bearer amid the turmoil in Afghanistan, Islamabad will focus on preventing violence in its western provinces that poses a serious threat to CPEC-related Chinese investments.
Ransomware, Insurance, and Backups
Most people are not aware of the real impact and threat of ransomware campaigns going on almost constantly. While I’m sure everyone knows of the ransomware attack on the Colonial pipeline and the more recent similar attack on JBS, these are only the latest and most visible in a continuous stream of attacks. These are just the tip of the iceberg. The true scale is hidden not only by the media but also by a reluctance to talk about the problem.
Technology as a Standalone Security Solution – Are We Fooling Ourselves?
Is technology effective as a security solution or is it simply being misused? In this article, Ivor Terret shares his philosophy of the four pillars of effective and practical security and how they can only work together in conjunction – not as silos.
COVID-19 Is it Just another threat?
Is it not just another type of threat that the modern bodyguard must adapt to, or should we be covering this type of threat already? If the client would be susceptible to the virus due to the nature of their work, then how can we protect them without putting them into isolation? What emotional worries and stress will this have on the family? What new roles should we undertake? Or should we not?
Jailed Abroad! Avoiding Crime and Corruption When Travelling
These days if you travel internationally or work in emerging markets, you are running the risk of being arrested for some reason. Criminals are not the only ones who can end up in handcuffs! It may come as a shock to some people, but many police forces are corrupt. And this is not just in the emerging markets.
Introduction to Steganography
Cryptography, which includes steganography, is a particular interest of mine. While nowadays most of the introductory codes are useful for understanding fundamentals, the mathematics involved for modern cryptography lend it more towards advanced courses and specialists.
Ammunition – Why the JHP? Part 2
Bullets are bullets and ammunition is just ammunition, right? The reality is, that statement couldn’t be further from the truth. As outlined in my last article, bullets (or projectiles) come in many different forms and these forms have their intended purpose. In this installment, I want to dive deeper into the application of the Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP). The reason this projectile is going to get its own article is due to the importance of it and how it applies to self-defense and in the industry of close protection.
Securing Smart Home Devices
Smart home technology is a rapidly growing consumer and business product. Here are some figures that show projections for the growth of these devices, as well as current numbers
Kidnap & Ransom – Finding a Resolution
If you’re travelling to today’s hostile environments as an International actor, anywhere from Mexico to Afghanistan, and all the bad places in between, it would be madness to go without K&R insurance coverage, especially as it helps to reduce your overall insurance costs of travelling to these places.
Foot Steps Episode 5: Sam Alicea
What were some takeaways you obtained from your past line of work? And how have they helped you in the private sector realm?
When I look at the totality of what we do in this industry there are quite a few takeaways. From having dealt with the irate couples during a domestic dispute to negotiating a business deal the importance of not only verbal judo but communicative and interpersonal skills tops the list, followed by the skills I learned from collecting evidence at a crime scene where attention to detail was key.
Ammunition – Does it Matter?
In the context of close protection work, the use of firearms is often an all or nothing proposition. In most cases, you are either armed, or you’re not! There is a whole host of things that play into that, be it where you are, your level of certification, or the demands the client puts on you. All of that aside, I wanted to take some time and dig into the finer things, often overlooked when we talk about “strapping up.” Ammunition!
Tactical Firearms – The Shotgun Part 2
With a 12ga shotgun, you can literally shoot clay pigeons, real pigeons, deer, bears, or pedophiles, and terrorists. You just need to choose the right type of shells.
The ammunition used in shotguns is referred to as shells, not bullets. Shotgun shells come in various sizes, but the most common for 12ga guns are 2 ¾ inches, 3 inches, and 3 ½ inches.
Nonverbal Communication
There’s something to be said about the art of reading people, especially in the protection industry. The ability to pick up on nonverbal communication is an area where most, if not all, protection practitioners are skilled.
