M.I.S. - technical surveillance countermeasures

Having a Sweep Done

What is your business is private………Keeping it private is mine!

Having a Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) "sweep" done is a very complex and intensive inspection of your environment. The difference between a good sweep and a poor effort is:

  • The amount of time allowed
  • The quality of the equipment used
  • The understanding of the technician
  • The knowledge of the threat

The purpose of this document is to explain briefly to you the client what is happening, and why it has to be done. Firstly, it is the goal of the technician to perform the sweep in a non-alerting fashion. We want to find the threat, not just where it was.

Where is a sweep performed

  • Any at risk area where sensitive information may originate
  • Adjacent areas to the main at risk locations where information may be overheard
  • All communication type equipment including phones, speaker phones, faxes, and computers
  • Telco rooms, service rooms, and junction boxes. Vehicles (cars, planes, boats, etc.).
  • Meeting locations that may be compromised
  • Other areas that may be used (corporate offices or apartments)
  • Residences of management and key personnel
  • Any special area that may be of concern
 

What can you expect?

MIS has the ability to perform a "complete" sweep. The time involved could be a little as 4 hours or 10 or more hours. At the end of the sweep, you will receive a full and comprehensive report of our findings, and recommendations on what you can do yourself to ease the threat potential in the future.

What we do in a sweep

What is a sweep? While very technical in nature, a sweep should initially address the issues of site security with both the immediate perimeter areas as well as the interior spaces being physically inspected. At risk areas will be identified, and reported on.

The equipment used is very complex in its operation, and far exceeds that which can be achieved with gear that is available to the general public. However, there is no sense in having all this equipment only to find that you were attacked by something as simple as a "hardwired" microphone; a "Radio Shack" baby monitor, a VOX tape recorder, or a cellular telephone. The physical inspection of the site is extremely important! An investigator has to know what to look for, and where to look. Every source of electrical power will be carefully inspected, and eliminated as a possible location for a transmitter.

The equipment used to address the issues surrounding Carrier Current, IF and IR transmitters has constantly improved over the years. An understanding of its use, limitations, and operating environments is extremely important. MIS is equipped with the most modern equipment available, designed to locate any threat that would be reasonable to assume may be targeted at you. Several pieces of equipment will be used to check for each type of threat; each analyzing the problem using a different method, insuring a "complete" sweep.