A lot of well known investigation companies advertise they provide tscm and bug detection services though they also advertise that they provide 100 other types of services.
Hiring a person to conduct your sweep is a very personal service which you don’t want to get wrong. You need to hire a specialist in this field, not a handyman with no formal training or qualifications. DON’T RISK IT!
What you need to know and ask:
· In this specialized field you require a specialist that deals everyday in tscm (Technical Surveillance Counter Measures) and not in 100 other services.
· What equipment do they use? Is it something they bought from Ebay, compare the equipment, ask the consultant for the names and types of devices they use, you don’t need to be an expert to ask these types of questions.
What experience do they have, can they verify the experience?
Request a copy of their accreditation? Not a Police Licence or a risk certificate, an accreditation certificate from the manufacture of the equipment they use and recommend.
If you hired a tradesman you would want to know if they have been accredited through university, Tafe etc, the difference is knowing what you are doing or guessing at the end of the day. A CAPI licence or Security Master Licence only allows the business the authority to conduct the activity, it doesn’t demonstrate experience, request a copy of accreditation of training on the equipment this way you know the tscm expert has the knowledge to conduct the professional sweep.
You will find that only 5% of the world tscm experts hold this certificate, are you willing to take the risk?
What type of equipment do they have? As a minimum the following are essential parts of tscm equipment.
They should have an Omni spectral correlator that is capable in searching up to 21 GHz.
A broadband detector capable of searching up to 12 GHz.
A TDR (Time Domain Reflectometer) to search for phone bugs.
Orion Non Linear Junction Detector, to detect devices that are switched off.
Fibre optic scopes for cavity inspections.
RF analyzer for phone lines.
Other specialized equipment and identification services may include:
Specialized probes for carrier current identification.
Thermal imaging.
Site audits and spectrum downloads for analysis to determine digital encrypted signals and signal strength comparative assessments.
How will they detect a non transmitting device?
If they answer the question with “The Orion” Non linear junction
detectors, then they are on the right track. If they answer “with a
physical search”— how long will they need to be there for a physical search?
Physical searches are great though time consuming when done properly and when your consultant is charging you a few hundred bucks an hour someone will either take a short cut to compromise on the limited funds received or your bill will be through the roof.
The answer to this question should be both.
How will they detect a burst or packet listening device that transmits for 30secs every 4 hours?
If your security specialist is telling you that his $5000 dollar tscm device detects all devices, then you need to ask the following questions.
- Do they have an Orion?
- If they are only spending 3 hours on the job, how will they detect a device that transmits every 4 hours without the Orion?
- Do they have the Oscor 5000 or a similar device “Spectural corelator” to analyze and view all possible signals?
General questions:
Q. How will they detect a 20 KHz Carrier Current listening device?
A. They must have a specialized probe in conjunction with an omni spectral correlator
Q. How will they detect a listening device transmitting either above 3 GHz or 12 GHz?
A. An Omni spectral correlator capable of scanning over 12 GHz or a non linear junction detector.
Q. Is your TSCM provider Accredited by the manufacture of the equipment they used, can they display their verifiable experience relating directly to tscm/bug detection service?
Q. How will your TSCM provider locate a bug in highly saturated signal area without an omni spectral correlator or Orion?
A. They can’t! Unless they demolished the whole environment which would take months or use a nullifier probe which would take weeks and weeks pending on the size of the building to search. They would need an Orion or the Oscor to assist in this operation along with accredited trainning.
How will they detected a low powered digital bug?
Low powered bugs are difficult to locate especially when the signal is digital and can’t be demodulated. Rf mapping and RSI (Radio Signal Increase) comparison is required to cross reference the slight increase in radio frequency from internal to external signals, this way we can determine if the digital signal is transmitting externally or internally.
What is an omni spectral correlator and a broadband detector?
An omni spectral correlator displays your signal environment so you can listen to the signals transmitting or a least sight the signal strength of the signal if it is encrypted (Digital).
If you can’t see what is happening with-in your signal environment and you are only using a broadband detector then it’s basically the blind leading the blind. A broadband detector simply picks up the strongest signal in the vicinity, so if you had a bug that is transmitting on a low consumption output and your favorite fm radio station transmitting (am or fm, high signal transmition) is transmitting from a high output the broadband detector will only pick up the radio station and completely miss the bug!
“This is why people in most case don’t find bugs once they do a sweep, they just do not have the proper equipment and training in tscm.”
Check to see what the tscm operator brings to your property, is it the same equipment he or she mentioned—This is important, if you were to purchase a Porsche you would want to make sure that a Hyundai wasn’t delivered?
Ask and write down the equipment they will bring verify the equipment via pictures on the net and cross reference once they are onsite.
Do they hold a NSW Security Police Master Licence?
Are they licenced and have all the necessary insurance to conduct a risk management investigation?
Does your tscm provider have a risk management policy in place ensuring that you are not just only receiving a sweep though advice on how to prevent or mitigate risk with-in your environment?
