Los Angeles Counter-Surveillance (TSCM)

The threats of modern bad actors seeking information for illicit use are real. Hackers and criminals are constantly attempting to gain information they can use for financial gain, political gain, military secrets, personal information to use against you, and more. Their efforts never cease, so your counter-surveillance activity in Los Angeles should also be ongoing.

Modern surveillance devices and technologies are now smaller than ever, more discreet and harder to locate. They can be hidden anywhere, in the most inconspicuous places or items, and require little battery power or connectivity to perform their tasks. Empire Pacific Investigative Services, Inc. has the expertise and technology to detect, discover and defeat various types of covert surveillance devices.

Bug Sweep Detection Services

Periodic bug sweep detection services are an important part of maintaining physical security in your home or office. Any physical location can be bugged to record audio, video, computer keystrokes, numeric keypad codes, safe combinations, the location of hidden documents or valuables and other secure information.

Your vehicle can also be bugged with a GPS tracker to allow criminals to track your movements. This could be to know when you’re away from sensitive locations, enabling easier access, or following you to the place of sensitive information or hidden assets. Bug sweep detection services are a basic yet essential aspect of maintaining physical security for yourself, your property, your vehicles, vital information and other secure business valuables.

EPIS is your Top-Rated Los Angeles Investigative Firm for 2022 because we are adept at locating and neutralizing threats from planted or embedded bugs in Hollywood homes and offices. Our talented investigators possess the skills, backgrounds and experience for intuitive counter-surveillance, and we work hard to keep our clients and their property secure.

Computer Monitoring Software & Devices

Computer monitoring software and devices are also constantly changing. Tiny components within a jump drive can hide software that seeks out passwords so criminals can steal vital financial information, personal information and other secure data. A simple device hidden in your computer keyboard can record keystrokes and transmit them to an external monitoring device, effectively stealing your passwords and recording everywhere you search online.

While less technical and far less known than online hackers, these covert detection devices or software are more common and far easier to use. It only takes moments to install or place them on nearby furnishings with access to your home or office computer. Inadvertently using an unfamiliar or new plug-in memory device could be all it takes to surrender all your secure data and password information.

EPIS investigators have a wealth of training and experience in this area of counter-surveillance, and we have the most up-to-date tools and methods to detect and eliminate these invasive bugs and software applications.

Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM)

Of course, detecting and eliminating bugs and other surveillance devices is not enough. By then, your data could already be stolen, your valuable property missing, your personal habits and schedule common knowledge. For total security, you must adopt a multilayered approach that includes Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM).

This can include in-place monitoring systems, wireless intrusion detection devices, manual bug sweeps on a random schedule and other means. A security consultant from EPIS can review your needs and vulnerabilities and design a complete system to maintain a high level of security for your person, family, home, office and other vital locations in your life.

Contact EPIS today at our West Hollywood, CA offices and schedule a full security review if you suspect you may be under illicit surveillance or wish to learn more about how Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) can protect you.

Electronic Surveillance Detection

EPG investigators are highly trained in the area of counter-surveillance. Using state-of-the-art technological equipment combined with years of experience, our investigators are able to perform counter-surveillance inspections to determine the risk of confidential information being lost or stolen through electronic espionage.

• Risk Analysis
• Information Security Policy Development
• Information Security Policy Implementation and Risk Management
• Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM)
• Document security

Empire Pacific Investigative Services Inc., the team has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the provision of high quality, professional telecommunications, and information security.
Our technical experts aim to improve the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of clients’ information assets in whatever formats such assets should exist.

In a survey by the EPG, roughly half of all US businesses had a malicious security incident since 2002.

Senior management increasingly recognizes the importance of managing information risks.

The key message is that information security has increased in priority over the last few years and many businesses globally have made significant improvements in their security controls (policies, procedures, and Technical Surveillance Countermeasures).

Electronic Countersurveillance

Covert Transmitter. This piece of equipment transmits to a listening post (where appropriate recording devices will be installed) all sounds (in particular conversations) generated in one or more rooms.

Telephone transmitters instead intercept conversations (or fax-data transmissions) through telephone lines and frequently drain their operational power directly from the line. Due to the absence of a battery (that needs to be periodically substituted), these types of transmitter are particularly dangerous as their “operational life” is practically unlimited.

When audio interception is not sufficient, covert video cameras can be used to transmit live video via radio or wire.

Covert radio transmitters usually use traditional modulation (AM or FM) systems, however particularly advanced transmitters will use advanced digital systems (Infinity, Frequency Hopping, Burst, Agile, Spread Spectrum). In this case, only the use of dedicated instruments (Digital Spectrum Analyzers and Non Linear Junction Detectors) by specialized technicians will reveal their presence as more common frequency counters or broadband receivers will not be sufficient.

Running specialized software on a Computer-controlled Digital Spectrum Analyzer gives us the possibility to document and memorize the radio spectrum conditions of the area to be swept.

Switched-off or no longer functioning surveillance devices can only be indicated by use of a Non Linear Junction Detector. This expensive instrument is not commonly found in Europe and for maximum effectiveness must be used by properly trained investigative technicians.

Bug sweeping of telephone, electrical and data lines, in particular when the analysed cable is of a length of hundreds if not thousands of metres, can only be conducted by means of a particular instrument called Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR). This piece of equipment can check any type of line (even under power) and indicates on a display screen the presence of abnormalities (short circuits, open circuits, series or parallel connections, inductances, capacities, etc.) and/or parasites. Presence of abnormalities (short circuits, open circuits, series or parallel connection

Our digital Time Domain Reflectometer has a range of over 11.000 metres with a localization precision of about 20/30 centimetres. This instrument is indispensable when the examined line is very long (try to imagine the route that a cable follows from a telephone switchboard in the basement of a large building to a phone located at the top floor) and not easily accessible (passing through walls, third party property, roads, etc.)

Warning Signs

1. Non-authorized persons are aware of personal or secret facts and documents.
2. Non-authorized persons are aware of personal or secret facts.
3. Confidential meetings, documents, projects, and tenders are no longer secret.
4. Strangers are award of when or where you are.
5. You have noticed unusual sounds, noises or, changes of volume on your telephone line.
6. An unexpected gift or appliance has appeared in your office or home.
7. Suspect vehicles are frequently parked in the vicinity of your office or home.
8. Your telephone produces strange noises even when the receiver is “On-Hook”.
9. You have noticed unexplained variations in the physical structure of your office or home (moved furniture, power suppliers, fixtures, carpeting, tiling, etc.)
10. Your Hi-Fi or TV system is subjected to strange interferences.
11. Utility technicians (electrical, telephone, water, hearing, etc.) appear for un-requested or non programmed maintenance calls.
12. An un-authorized person has entered your offices or home, but nothing has been stolen.

If you recently have noticed one or more of these warning signs, you may be the object of covert surveillance. If you decide to contact us for a consultation or counter-surveillance sweep talk about your decision only with those who must know and call us from a secure phone that is not situated suspect’s offices or homes.

How A Counter-Surveillance Sweep Is Conducted

• Upon arrival at the sweeping site with our mobile counter-surveillance laboratory (designed for Europe-wide travel), our Investigative Technicians will conduct a number of inspections that for logistic and security reasons are preferably carried out during weekends or after normal office hours.
• Radio-spectrum analysis from VLF to SHF frequencies in order to identify covert audio or video transmitters using any modulation system, either analog or digital.
• Electronic and physical examination of all telephone systems and switchboards in order to identify covert listening systems.
• Electronic and physical exam of all rooms, furniture and fixtures with a Non Linear Junction Detector in order to identify covert electronic circuits, of any nature, even switched off or no longer functioning.
• LASER and Infra-Red spectrum analysis in order to identify surveillance systems using these band spectrums.
• Electrical and Electronic cable examination and Acoustic leak examination.
• Physical structure examination of the entire site in order to verify its global degree of security.
• Computer security examination in order to verify the presence of surveillance software or hardware applications, Virus check and hacker protection check.
• Application of propriety anti-tamper seals (both visible and invisible) to all inspected systems and areas.

De-bugging

We have an impression that it is quite recently, business-people started understanding the dangers that may be contained inside their cellular phones, fax and copy-machines. Our recent research proves that while all sorts of criminals successfully use instant package information transfer equipment, coded signals and coded lingoes most of the business people, politicians and police officers communicate through open text using unprotected communication networks. Planting electronic listening device in the premises also called radio-bugging, can be very effective. Many companies can offer you brilliant de-bugging systems. If installed by experienced professionals, such systems can guarantee 100% successful de-bugging. EPG has a special unit specializing in this type of service.