The psychology behind the misinformation was mostly covered last time, so we’re going to look more at the mechanics that enable them. We’ll take a look at fake social media accounts, botnets, and automated amplification to exploit social media algorithms.
Social Media Engineering
Take just one example the conspiracy theories around 5G were quickly re-tailored to incorporate Bill Gates and George Soros as targets, and were effective enough that there were arson attacks against 5G infrastructure. In other words, a few memes and videos, along with the use of these techniques (whether deliberate, or accidental, but there is strong evidence of deliberate action) were enough to cause homegrown domestic terrorism attacks on UK soil.
Dissecting the Gun Debate
One of the biggest reasons that gun discussions often don’t gain traction is the two sides are often comparing apples and rocks. Those who are for gun control are often discussing death and emotion, while those who are pro-gun may speak of technical aspects (semi-automatic vs. automatic) and entitlement (the 2nd Amendment).
Keeping Your Edge: The Right Tool For the Job
Spend any length of time conducing protection work in the entertainment industry, and you’ll find that things work in cycles.
There are recording cycles, tour cycles, award show cycles and even sporting event cycles. A big portion of these trend annually, and are grouped with similar events, creating momentum, but being careful to avoid overshadowing or encroaching on another event’s moment.
Vehicle Attacks Against Pedestrians – 12 Ways to Mitigate the Risk
It irks me when I hear security specialists giving overly simplistic advice like ‘be more aware of your surroundings,’ when it comes to guarding against vehicle attacks on pedestrians. In this article, I share 12 practical methods for mitigating this increasing terrorist threat.
Freedom or Security?
According to Paine, if twenty persons, all strangers to each other, found themselves in a previously uninhabited country, each individual’s will was his natural right. He had the freedom and liberty to do as he pleased, even invading the sovereignty of his neighbors. It would then occur to each sovereign individual that if he united with his neighbor for mutual protection he would increase his personal security. But to do that he would have to sacrifice certain degrees of his natural rights. The compromising of individual rights resulted in rights of “compact” or as our legislative laws were defined as “civil rights”.
US Presidential Security Support
One memorable occasion was the visit by President George W. Bush to Manila, the Philippines, in October 2003, when he on his way to Thailand, where he was to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. This visit served as a great example of how much of an asset you can be for the protective elements if you know and apply protective operations principles.
Executive Protection Travel Pack
As is common with us all, we love our gear and we can’t get enough. A common discussion in our Facebook group, The Protective Security Group, is travel gear and equipment.
While not meant to be a comprehensive or ‘cookie-cutter’ list, below I share a typical packing of my ‘go-bag’ which I hope you all find useful; at least as a good baseline to add/subtract from for your travel needs.
Hiding from OSINT
It often comes as a surprise just how much is available, and the nefarious uses it can be put to. OSINT can be applied towards defensive purposes, but we will be looking only at malicious purposes. One of the biggest challenges of OSINT is not merely recognising it as a threat, but encouraging the behavioural change needed to protect against it widely enough. It is not enough simply for a principal to stop posting Instagram pictures of their travels in order to hide them – their colleagues, friends, family, and employees also need to be aware of the need to take care with information which could be misused.
Industry News
We cast our eye over the main stories impacting the security industry. Here’s what’s appeared on the radar since the last issue.
Protecting the Principal in a Pandemic
From an operational perspective, CPs need to go back to fundamentals and apply the golden rules of protection planning and risk assessments to medical scenarios. For instance, from a strategy perspective, many HNW bought ventilators only to later discover that they would never be delivered due to shortage. So, it’s important to think how do we improve our planning and strategy from the outset to account for the unexpected? Scenarios and risks should be assessed as always in a well thought out threat matrix.
Global Risk RoundUp – March 2020
About Drum Cussac, a GardaWorld company
Because we put your people first, we’ve built cutting-edge risk and security which keeps up with the pace of change. The only risk and security platform to feature monthly updates, GlobalRiskManager is purpose built to be future-proof and can seamlessly integrate with your own systems. This, combined with over 20 years’ of industry knowledge and a team of in-house security experts, provides you with a comprehensive end-to-end risk and security solution – done your way.
The Rise in the Use of CCTV in Court Proceedings
An estimated 5.9 million CCTV cameras were in operation throughout the UK in 2016, making the British public one of the most surveilled in the world. Only Beijing has more CCTV cameras than London, where the average person will be recorded on camera 300 times in one day.
Executive Protection in Russia
Risk and Retaliation at the World Cup and Beyond. On 3/26/2018, the United States joined 20 nations including the UK, Canada, and Italy in what is said to be the largest coordinated expulsion of Russian intelligence officers in history.
Over 100 Russian diplomats were told to leave their foreign postings in response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy living in the UK. Russia promised to retaliate against this “provocative gesture”.
Countering Snipers Part 2
The first step in countering snipers is for everyone to be aware of the threat. This is where a threat assessment needs to be compiled and the realist threats need to be identified, if potential snipers are a threat then procedures need to be put in place.
In general, operational planning for a sniper threat should always be considered to some extent. Not only should counter sniper procedures be planned for but they need to be practiced, your people need to be trained at least in the basic reactions to fire and the use of cover, preferably before they are exposed to the sniper threat.
Protecting Politicians
As recently as January of this year a man was jailed for a string of threating abuses against Mark Prisk, the MP for Hertford and Stortford. Perhaps the most worrying aspect of the story around this attack is that Prisk was so fearful that he failed to attending a hustings. He is not the only MP who has had to change his course of action due to threats. In February last year Diane Abbott, who was suffering cyber-attacks claimed she was fearful of walking the streets of her own constituency.
Field Report
How many times had I asked myself the question ‘what the bloody hell am I doing here?’ God only knows. I will admit though, these days I don’t need to ask that question as much and in the same context as I used to. Going from operations to administration and then onto training over a 12 year period means that I have somewhat of a luxury ride now. Monday to Friday hours, holidays with the kids and only occasional weekend interruptions when courses are on or we are undertaking professional development with our trainers / clients etc. My venture into the world of close personal protection has been an eventful one; nothing spectacular or heroic, but a learning curve nonetheless
Key Points to Being a Good Bodyguard
For long-term assignments, it is very important to build up a rapport with your client / VIP and anyone else associated with the operation. Effective and good communications will not only assist you with having an easier and less stressful assignment but also keeps you up-to-date on the client’s day to day activities
Enhancing Your Safety and Survival at the Airport
When it comes to surviving sudden violence whether as the result of an active shooter or other civilian mass casualty incident, I always tell people it is more important to not get shot than it is to shoot, shooting is extra credit.
Ignore Terrorism… And we loose…
We are not immune to attack and we owe it to our clients to be well versed on terrorism, and international conflicts, which could have domestic consequences. Ignore what’s going on overseas, and ignore terrorism and we face losing at home.
