About Charles Patterson

Charles Patterson is the president, CEO, and primary consultant of Exec Security TSCM. He began working in the security field in 1978 in executive protection and related technical security services. He has been providing TSCM sweeps since 1995.

Industrial espionage: is it tax deductible?

 British tribunal sees spying as a normal business expense…

Industrial espionage: It’s tax deductible

By  | October 16, 2012, 3:48 AM PDT  
How do you soften the blow when you’ve had to pay a $100 million fine for spying on your business rival?
You deduct it from taxes.

That’s what British Formula 1 race car team McLaren is doing with a penalty it paid for secretly photocopying technical designs belonging to Italian rival Ferrari.

A British tax tribunal has even approved the maneuver. It agreed with McLaren that “spying on rivals is a normal business expense,” as BBC Radio 4 presenter John Humphrys phrased it on a recent news program (you can listen here until the link expires).

The fine was levied by Fomula 1’s French ruling body, the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, and not via civil action.

Pssst! If you snap the […]

2016-12-16T20:24:04-05:00October 20th, 2012|
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A case of mud, money and corporate intrigue

Employee ethics can be quite flexible. This can lead them to make devastating decisions, offering to sell out their employer for the right price. Many times they do not even realize they have crossed the line into serious criminal espionage activity. Having regular TSCM sweeps done helps to establish that your information is proprietary and confidential. A benefit to having such programs in place is that employees begin to realize that the information they have access to is protected and confidentiality should not be taken lightly.

A case of mud, money and corporate intrigue

By Loren Steffy | Tuesday, September 25, 2012  Houston Chronicle

It’s a story of international intrigue and secret blueprints, with allegations of corporate spies and clandestine document drops at a kitchen table.

While it has all the makings of the next “Mission Impossible” movie, it doesn’t involve any thing as glamorous as microchips or the access codes […]

2016-12-16T20:24:05-05:00October 5th, 2012|
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International voicemail hackers attack random US phone systems

Along with eavesdropping and theft of information, your voicemail system is also vulnerable for financial exploitation. In the past decade, there have been numerous occurances of voicemail systems being hacked for financial gain.  In many of these incidents the technique used was trying to force voicemail systems to place international calls to the Philippines, Cuba, or other countries.  The number being dialed is similar in concept to the 900 numbers popular in the US, where the owner of the number will receive payment for every call that comes in.  The calls are typically answered by another answering system that just tries to keep the automated call connected as long as possible. Since these are international calls, the owner of the phone system under attack will end up with a very large bill from their long distance carrier. 

International Phone Hacking

The hacker makes […]

2016-12-16T20:24:05-05:00August 17th, 2012|
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Sniffing out RF at the Olympics

pic.twitter.com/h9L2RYWc 

https://www.theverge.com/2012/8/2/3215016/wi-fi-police-london-olympics

Apparently they were searching the airwaves for unauthorized wifi hotspots, or perhaps other wireless network problems. Similar steps can be taken for office environments. If someone set up a rogue access point in your office, that could open your network to intruders and a number of associated problems. Electronic systems are available that can monitor wifi as well as cellular signals in an office or building and locate and identify any unauthorized signals. Check with us if you need more information.

2012-08-02T23:51:04-04:00August 2nd, 2012|
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Threat of foreign eavesdropping devices

Eavesdropping devices and bugs on sale in Japan.

High tech electronic eavesdropping devices are sold openly in many foreign countries. They are easily obtained by anyone traveling on business or on vacation. These devices pictured were on sale in a small shop in Japan. Most of them are illegal to sell or use in the U.S.

If you have business associates traveling overseas, whether competitors or within your own company, they could bring back devices that could seriously hurt your business.  Transmitters could be hidden within gifts or ordinary devices.  

We have the electronic tools and techniques that can locate such devices, even when they are hidden or sealed inside other objects.

 

 

2016-12-16T20:24:06-05:00July 29th, 2012|
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Communications Security and Eavesdropping Countermeasures

Protection of information and communications is critical in today’s business world.  We will be updating our blog regularly with news, information, and advice to help you strengthen your information infrastructure. 
Please contact us directly if you have questions regarding your own privacy needs or specific situations.

Charles Patterson, President
Patterson Communications, Inc.
New York 

2016-12-16T20:24:06-05:00July 23rd, 2012|
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