Advisor

Kidnapped From Home: Crypto CEO’s Shocking Experience

The recent kidnapping of the co-founder of a billion-dollar company from his home, and the severing of his finger for the extortion of money, highlights the case for executive protection services: At home, work, and while traveling.

Read More

Nice Selfie… Now I Know Exactly Where You Are

In this article, we'll explore how to locate someone without any prior knowledge of their identity, background, or location—this is raw geolocating OSINT. To protect privacy, all faces in the examples have been blurred. I’ll explain the process step by step and provide examples to demonstrate these techniques. Additionally, we'll showcase how this can be done using just open-source information, such as a student's school selfie and content from the school’s social media page, to determine the student's location.

Read More

Social Engineering Attacks

Humans are the most vulnerable aspect of cybersecurity because we are susceptible to Social Engineering. In this context, we define Social Engineering as a form of manipulation intended to cause users to give away sensitive information and gain control of an account or computer system to steal personal and financial information. Social Engineering occurs in multiple steps. First, research is conducted on the victim, gathering background information. This information is then used to gain the victim’s trust and cause the victim to reveal sensitive information when accessing accounts or systems.

Read More

Case Study | UnitedHealthcare CEO Shooting Brian Thompson

The tragic murder of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, has been a pivotal and eye-opening event for many. For the corporate world and our profession, this incident underscores the case for heightened vigilance and strategic preparation in response to rising threats. This month’s ESOC Advisor features a roundtable case study with contributions from our PFC Training Cadre, ESOC Intelligence Analysts, Academy of Protective Studies staff, and PFC Safeguards leadership. We encourage you to consider the key takeaways from this event and invite you to reach out for a discussion about the challenges your team may face supporting those at risk.

Read More

Guarding Your Digital Footprint: Removing Sensitive Data and Strengthening Privacy

In today’s digital world, our personal information is more vulnerable than ever. From social media profiles to financial transactions, sensitive information is constantly being exchanged online. Even if we have little or no personal online presence, we are still at risk due to the online storage and distribution of sensitive information by retailers, data brokers, healthcare companies, and even government agencies. This exposure can lead to identity theft, financial loss, and allow threat actors to gain actionable insights into the personal lives of their prospective victims.

Read More

New Methods for Protecting School Communities

At PFC Safeguards, we are committed to stay ahead of emerging threats like school violence, mental health concerns, gang activities, drug incidents, illegal behaviors, cyberbullying, and other pertinent risks. By maintaining vigilance and implementing modern proactive measures, our goal is to preemptively mitigate risks, fostering a secure learning environment.

Read More

Theme Park Safety: 7 Tips to Follow

Amusement parks can o er thrilling experiences for guests of all ages. But it’s also important to recognize some of the common risks you can face and how to mitigate those risks to ensure a safe and enjoyable time for everyone. Here's seven tips to stay safe when visiting theme parks:

Read More

Travel in Israel: What to know

Although travel to Israel has changed in the past eight months, it is still possible. With diligent planning, it is moderately safe. PFC provides full-spectrum planning and movement support for safe travel.

Read More