I have often been asked by security directors, “How should I begin to address the threat of corporate espionage and the necessary countermeasures for my company? Are there any best practices I should be following?”  This is a very important and and serious concern, so much so that I created a short document of my own (available here).

But now, I must say, what is likely the most comprehensive source of information on corporate espionage, both the threats and the countermeasures, has been produced. My good friend and colleague, Kevin Murray, has produced a fantastic new book entitled, “Corporate Espionage 101, The Missing Business School Course”.

This is not just a simple booklet or pamphlet. It is a well researched (along with decades of Kevin’s experiences) and well thought out manual for understanding current threats that all corporations face.

Weighing in at a little over 4 pounds and 588 pages, this is definitely not light reading.  It is laid out in a bit of textbook format with exam questions (and the answers) at the end of every section.

Here are some of the sections:

  • Part 1 – The espionage reality (foundation)
  • Part 2 – Corporate Espionage in practice
  • Part 3 – Building a counterespionage program
  • Part 4 – People, Policies, and Procedures
  • Part 5- Everyday Leaks and Non-Technical Threats
  • Part 6 – Eavesdropping Tactics and Countermeasures
  • Part 7 – Communications and Office Technology Risks
  • Part 8 – Mobile, Cyber, and Network Threats
  • Part 9 – Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM)
  • Part 10 – TSCM Technology and Bug Devices
  • And more – covering spy camera threats, social engineering, spy stories, and future watch.

The book is a wealth of knowledge and contains a number of notes and comments (and photos) regarding some of the concerns we find regularly on our sweeps, some of which I know are frequently overlooked.  One such example is checking floor boxes in offices and conference rooms. They often have open channels to the floor below. Not only can sound escape through the passage, but with a few tools and a ladder, the adversary could insert a listening device into the secured boardroom floor box without ever having to access the secured floor of the building. A simple step of filling any gaps or voids in the floor boxes can help prevent such a compromise.

This is not just another book to add to your shelf. This will be an investment that will bring benefits long into the future!

A limited number of copies are available now at counterespionage101.com and they are worth every nickel (no more pennies).

From the website:

Corporate Espionage 101 is the practical field guide that explains how real-world corporate spying actually happens — and how to stop it.

Written by Kevin D. Murray, CPP, CISM, a technical information security consultant with more than 50 years of experience protecting corporations from electronic surveillance and intelligence theft. The textbook exposes the techniques spies, competitors, and insiders use to steal valuable information. Then it shows how to defeat them. 

  • No jargon.
  • No academic theory.
  • Just the knowledge every modern organization needs.

Inside you will learn

  • Why companies become espionage targets
  • How competitors steal trade secrets
  • How insiders leak confidential information
  • How spies exploit offices, hotels, aircraft, and meeting rooms
  • How electronic eavesdropping actually works
  • How social engineering bypasses security
  • How to detect hidden surveillance devices
  • How to protect intellectual property and strategic plans
  • How executives can protect their personal privacy

This is operational knowledge normally learned only after a damaging breach. Here you learn it before the damage occurs.

This knowledge matters now
Every year companies lose billions of dollars to stolen intellectual property, trade secrets, and confidential strategy. Many executives assume cybersecurity alone solves the problem. It doesn’t.

…

The question is not whether corporate espionage exists. The question is whether you know how it works and what mitigation strategies to use.

If you value your company, your ideas, and your privacy, you need the knowledge that should have been taught in business school.

For those who realize they haven’t heard from me for a while, totally my fault. It’s been almost a year since my last post. The end of last year was very busy, so much so that I came down with the flu for a month or so and put a lot of thing on a back burner. This year I’ve been fine, but I just did not get back to my blog posts unitl now!