Articles written by Charles Patterson.
A recent article in the NY Times caught the attention of some of our clients. It documented an architectural firm in Norcross, Georgia, that had their phone system hacked, resulting in a phone bill for $166,000 over just one weekend.
In past ExecSecurity posts we have discussed a few methods used by hackers for compromising […]
Electronic communications has made meeting up with others via conference calls and web conferencing quite convenient and very commonplace today. It is important, though, to be aware of the security concerns and vulnerabilities for all types of conference services.
During an inspection we performed at a financial services company we found that their brand new boardroom conferencing […]
There are a number of reasons to try to keep your voicemail secure. The most significant may be to prevent theft of information. Celebrities and politicians could be the most obvious targets, the escapades of reporters working for Rupert Murdoch’s News of the World are testament to this (see Hack Attack). Business leaders and decision […]
“Calls may be monitored for quality assurance…” but also for other reasons such as legal documentation or emergency services and 911 calls. Call recordings can exist for a number of legitimate purposes, using a variety of means and equipment. Not many use actual tape anymore, it […]
ANKARA — AK Party officials decided not to hold their biannual meeting at the Asya Termal, a hotel run by a Gülen Movement affiliate, over concerns that the venue may be bugged. The hotel in Ankara’s Kızılcahamam district was the traditional venue for the biannual consultation meetings […]
By Charles Patterson, Jan 24, 2014
Corporate espionage strikes fear in the hearts of many executives, and rightly so. The threat is real, often not visible and not understood, and damage to the company (and to individuals) can be severe. Spying comes in many forms and guises. Cyber crimes and network hacking grab most […]
Having been working in the security field for over thirty five years, and in the surveillance countermeasures field for more than half of that, I’ve come to accept the need for protecting information as a given. I’m always surprised when people I would have expected to be knowledgeable demonstrate their ignorance in such matters.
In this […]
The White House administration recently launched a strategy to mitigate the theft of U.S. trade secrets. (see: www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/02/19/launch-administration-s-strategy-mitigate-theft-us-trade-secrets )
Part of the new White House strategy includes supporting ” industry-led efforts to develop best practices to protect trade secrets and encourage companies to share with each other best practices that can mitigate the risk of trade secret […]
Interest and fascination with spying is ever present, especially in the corporate world. This can lead employees to cross boundaries and attempt illegal eavesdropping or theft of information for their own advancement or profit.
The availability today of inexpensive electronic devices that can be used for covert surveillance can lead the less ethical among us to […]
by Charles Patterson
Patterson Communications, Inc.
www.execsecurity.com
VOIP vulnerability and disaster recovery
We’ve had a busy schedule here in the New York area since Hurricane Sandy hit. A few of our clients lost their entire offices due to flooding from the Hudson River and had to relocate. We have been spending many hours helping some of them […]
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 […]
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 […]
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