Frequently Asked Questions

When you engage our services, you are hiring experts. We are competent, well-trained counterintelligence experts who use the most advanced and effective threat detection equipment. We are aware of the current and emerging threats and ensure that we maintain capabilities to detect these threats.

We are fully prepared and fully capable of handling all known threat levels, as well as the continuous technological advancements with regards to covert Technical Surveillance Devices (TSD), Technical Security Hazards (TSH), espionage methods, techniques, compromises and the more common non-electronic methods of compromise.

Your service is provided by an expert, not a technician or part-time service provider.  “You are hiring “Global Counterespionage Specialists” with a proven track record and real world-wide Counterespionage / Counterintelligence and Cyber Technical Surveillance Counter Measures experience.

ComSec’s teams have conducted successful CYBER TSCM operations and Counterespionage Advisory services throughout the United States and across the Globe. A ComSec service team and can usually be on-site within 24-72 hours. Contact us today.

ComSec LLC’s provide TSCM / Cyber TSCM services throughout the USA and globally. Our corporate headquarters is located in Virginia Beach, VA. We also have field offices throughout the USA. These field offices are located in Washington DC, New York City, Dallas Texas and Los Angeles California and are used for local staging purposes.

TSCM is a specialized area of practice. So, you will not find a qualified TSCM service company in every city, or in ever metropolitan area. When hiring a TSCM service provider, the geographical location of the provider is not the most important consideration. In fact, sometimes choosing a local provider can be detrimental. Local influence may present a conflict of interest or a conflict of loyalty among regional colleagues or agencies. By choosing a provider outside your local area, you can help to avoid such conflicts.

Clients who choose ComSec LLC, do so based on our expertise, the level of service we provide, and our dedication to excellence. When choosing a provider, what is most important? If it is the location of the provider, you should ask yourself am I choosing the best provider for my needs?

TSCM is a specialized area of practice. So, you will not find a qualified TSCM service company in every city, or in ever metropolitan area. And, since TSCM /Cyber TSCM requires the TSCM practitioner to be on site to perform the services, travel to the client location is necessary.

Some TSCM companies attempt to present the appearance that they have offices in all major metropolitan areas. However, these same TSCM companies may operate from a home office and/or use a virtual office as their corporate business address.  As mentioned above, ComSec LLC’s field offices are located in Washington DC, New York City, Dallas Texas and Los Angeles California and are used for local staging purposes. But, we travel to locations throughout the USA and globally.

ComSec LLC’s Virginia Beach, VA corporate headquarters is located in a commercial office building and is physically staffed by ComSec LLC’s team. Clients who choose ComSec LLC, do so based on our expertise, the level of service we provide, and our dedication to excellence.

ComSec LLC has been a provider of TSCM / Cyber TSCM Services since 2007. Due to ComSec LLC’s pursuit of excellence and its expertise in the detection of electronic eavesdropping threats and exploits, ComSec LLC was approached by government personnel about providing TSCM equipment. This launched ComSec LLC into the field of TSCM equipment development, kitting and supply for government, military, TSCM practitioners and corporations.

Some TSCM companies imply that because they only provide TSCM services, they provide a higher level of service. In contrast, ComSec LLC’s expertise in providing services with the most advanced, effective TSCM equipment is the very reason we were approached to supply TSCM equipment. Our dedication to excellence is the driving force behind our entrance into the TSCM equipment market. And, as a result, our clients benefit because our company focuses on technological excellence. The TSCM equipment solutions we selected to supply, are the same technologies that we use in commission of our services. We believe in the products we represent and in the TSCM equipment we use for our TSCM services.

While any business, organization or individual, can be a targeted, there are certain targets eavesdroppers prefer. Industries, such as critical infrastructure, healthcare, energy, utilities, agriculture, chemical and green technologies, are prime targets of electronic eavesdropping. Also, individuals who serve in a leadership or technical capacity in these industries, celebrities, politicians and high profile individuals are also likely targets of electronic eavesdropping. Any company, organization or individual with access to valuable or potentially damaging information could be a target of interest to an eavesdropper. Watch the below videos to learn more.

Eavesdroppers collect information that has value. The value can be monetary value, or it may be have national, political, personal or other value to the eavesdropper. The following are examples of events or activities that may be a particular interest to an eavesdropper:

• Your company or organization is American-owned and operating in a foreign country.
• The collection of Near Field Communications (NFC). The umbrella term for  wireless communications.
• Business leadership, ownership and/or organizational structure changes are being discussed.
• The business is about to be sold or a merger is underway.
• Contract negotiations with major clients, unions or other labor organizations are in process.
• A board of directors or stockholders meeting is about to occur.
• The business, organization or individual is the subject of news media attention and/or a lawsuit.
• New products or technologies are about to be patented or enter the market.
• Marketing campaigns and/or sales strategies are being discussed.
• Major changes in the number of employees or contractors are about to be made (expansions, layoffs, etc.).
• A political campaign is about to be launched or a key election is about to occur.
• A separation, divorce, child custody or other personal matter with important consequences is imminent.
• Any event or activity is about to occur where valuable information is about to be discussed or exchange.

Can you answer yes to one or more of these questions? If your answer is yes, then you may be a target of electronic eavesdropping:

• Your private conversations have been repeated to you
• Your competitors have access to otherwise properly guarded proprietary or confidential information
• You have access to information that can be damaging or profitable to someone
• Your competitors always seem to be one step ahead of you
• You have been underbid on important contracts that you should have been a low price bidder
• You are losing business to competitors who do not offer a better service, technology or experience

Eavesdroppers have many choices of eavesdropping devices and methods to collect against targets. Modern technology has expanded both the range of collection of the devices and the length of time that a device has sufficient power to collect the information without the need to replace the power source. Devices can also push collected information over Wi-Fi networks, so retrieval of the eavesdropping device from the point of information collection is not necessary.

Eavesdropping devices range from inexpensive spy bugs that can be purchased on eBay for less than $20, to cellphone malware/spyware, to GPS trackers, to sophisticated methods used to capture data and boost it out over the cellular network. Typically, eavesdroppers will use several different types of collection devices to ensure they capture the needed information should a device be identified, be improperly positioned to gather the desired information or the power source fail. Skilled eavesdroppers may confuse the target by making on or two of the eavesdropping devices easy to locate, with the hope that the target will find one of these devices and stop searching for additional devices.
Watch this video

Cyber TSCM encompasses both traditional TSCM methods and cyber elements, such as those related to modern electronic devices (e.g. cellular phones, computers, etc.) and the software, malware and other threats posed by devices that operate within or interface with cyberspace. COMSEC was the first privately owned counterespionage company to be published and identify the need for “CYBER TSCM” as a more accurate depiction of the best level of service to address todays emerging cyber and hybrid technical surveillance threats.
Learn more about Cyber TSCM here.

Below is a partial list of technical surveillance threats that ComSec LLC’s TSCM/Cyber TSCM surveys are designed to identify.

• Active (transmitting) and passive (devices that are turned off, or remote activated), bugging devices that transmit audio or video.
• Laser and infrared eavesdropping devices
• Wire and microphone taps
• Wiretaps: Telephone & Telephone Line Analysis
• Hidden Video cameras
• Hidden cellular devices, GSM Bugs.
• Carrier current devices
• Router and Wi-Fi network issues
• Mobile device malware / spyware
• GPS tracking devices on vehicles
• Acoustic compromises, etc, etc.

Cyber TSCM surveys are not inexpensive, but their value can be enormous. The most important question you can ask yourself is “what is the value of the information, IP or privacy” that you are aiming to protect? Then, it’s important to consider the technical savvy of suspected eavesdropper, the potential eavesdropping exposures and your budget. The more information you can share with COMSEC during your initial phone consultation, the better able we are to recommend a level of service that is appropriate for your particular situation. (Please see our “Hire ComSec, The Process” page for guidance before contacting us).

Cyber TSCM Service Options are usually dependent upon the square footage of the area, the number of offices/rooms to be serviced, and the number of phones/lines, computers, audio/video equipment, mobile devices, etc. to be included with the survey.

Learn more about our TSCM / Cyber TSCM Service Options here:

Our Corporate Cyber TSCM Services Options page can be viewed here.

Our Residential Cyber TSCM Service Options can be viewed here.

A Cyber TSCM Survey can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to complete. The length of time is largely dependent on the size of the area to be serviced, number of phones/lines, etc., timely access to the areas to be surveyed, etc. Typically, most small TSCM / Cyber TSCM surveys can be completed in one day.