Eavesdropping
Who is at Risk
Are You?

EAVESDROPPING - WHO is at risk, WHO Gets Bugged?

High Threat, at Risk Business Situations

• Your company has stock which is publicly traded (or will be soon)
• Your company is developing a revolutionary new or controversial product
• Your company is having labour problems, union activities, or negotiations
• Your company is involved in takeover or buyout situations
• Your company is involved in any type of litigation or lawsuit
• Your company has layoffs pending (or they have just happened)
• Your company is involved in the fashion, automotive, electronic, advertising, or marketing industry where competitive information is very valuable

ANYONE can be the target of covert eavesdropping, however; some people are at greater risk than others because of their financial position, occupation, legal, or domestic situation.

• Wives, husbands bug each other on a regular basis
• Jealous lovers bug each other
• Parents bug children
• Businessmen bug other businessmen and their staff
• Scientists bug other scientists
• Students bug professors
• Attorneys bug other attorneys (and their clients)
• Insurance companies bug accident victims, and other claimants
• Construction companies bug other construction companies
• Salesmen bug clients and in some cases competitors salesmen
• Collection agencies bug debtors
• Police officers and other security personnel bug suspects
• Executive recruiters bug personnel directors
• Rock fans bug rock musicians
• Department stores bug customers and merchandise and in some cases staff
• Disgruntled or renegade employees bug their employers
• Foreign Governments bug embassies, security agencies and trade officials

In fact the list is endless

REMEMBER your information has both a monetary and a power value and should be protected. If your computer is stolen, the cost of replacing it is small when you compare it to the costly loss of information. As well as being backed-up on a regular basis all PCs and laptops should be secure at all times (safes, car-safes).

High Threat Personal Situations (When you should be seriously concerned)

You (or someone close to you) is or has been:

• Involved in any type of litigation or lawsuit
• Been questioned, arrested or arraigned by the police
• In the process of getting married, divorced, or separated
• A minister or religious leader (ie: priest, rabbi, deacon, bishop, elder...)
• Running for any type of elected public office
• Elected to any public office (ie: mayor, councillor, school principal)
• Executive, research engineer or scientist at any large company
• Recently filed an insurance claim
• Engaging in political demonstrations or activity
• Employed by a defence contractor, Department of Energy, etc...
• Private Investigators have been "poking" around
• You are in the upper income bracket

Keep in mind that ANYONE with Money, Power, Influence, or access to sensitive, classified, or personal information is at serious personal risk. On a related note: If you work (or have worked) for any kind of military, governmental, law enforcement or judicial agency the possibility of you being targeted for eavesdropping is very high. Such eavesdropping can come from either side of the law, and is rarely legal or court sanctioned. Additionally, people married to, associated with, divorced from, getting divorced from, dating, or getting intimate with a member of law enforcement, private security, PI, or any level of the judicial system should be concerned about illegal eavesdropping (yes, cops love to bug their wives and girlfriends).

High Threat Occupations

• Lawyers/Judges/Solicitors
• Police Officers/Security personnel
• Court Clerks
• Officials in public office
• Defence contractors employees
• Product/Development/Design/Engineers
• Research/Development engineers
• Software Developers
• Executives at any company in a competitive market
• Scientists at any large or high tech company
• Doctors/Consultants
• Chiropractor
• Dentists
• Architects
• Mayors
• School/College Principals
• College Professors
• Government ministers and their staff
• Church and religious leaders (ie: deacon, bishop, elder...)
• Corporate Buyers or Purchasing Agents
• Employee of a Construction Contractor
• All Sales and Marketing personnel
• Labour or Union Officials
• Fashion designers
• Advertising personnel
• Personnel Directors

Foreign Travel

Foreign travel increases the risk of becoming an intelligence target, especially if you have access to useful government, scientific or business information (at any level). You can become the target of a foreign intelligence or security service at any time in any country. They consider the risks involved to be relatively low when compared to the potential benefits.

• Limit sensitive discussions avoid hotel rooms and other public places
• Do not use computers or facsimile machines at foreign hotels or business centres when working on any sensitive information



According to the FBI the following types of businesses are under EXTREME risk and are popular targets of illegal bugging, wiretapping, and similar surveillance:


Materials:


• Materials synthesis and processing
• Electronic and photonic materials
• Ceramics
• Composites
• High-performance metals and alloys


Manufacturing:


• Flexible computer-integrated manufacturing
• Intelligence processing equipment
• Micro- and nanofabrication
• Systems management technologies



Information and Communications:


• Software
• Micro and optoelectronics
• High-performance computing and networking
• High-definition imaging and displays
• Sensors and signal processing
• Data storage and peripherals
• Computer simulation and modeling



Biotechnology and Life Sciences:

• Applied molecular biology
• Computational Chemistry
• Medical technology
• Energy and Environment:
• Energy technologies
• Pollution control/ waste management
• Transportation
• Aeronautics



Eavesdropping can also take place in public buildings such as hotels, restaurants and bars, especially if they are regular haunts of particular individuals, who may always sit at the same table. In fact it is not restricted to inside buildings’, it may even take place in public areas such as parks, where directional shotgun microphones disguised under items such as newspapers can be pointed at the target. It can also occur on public transport.

For additional information, including hundreds of tips on how to protect your family, see our NEW security and safety book 'How to Protect your Family and Belongings Now'

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