Talking Threat Intelligence

At some point during the job search, someone will inevitably tell us about the importance of ‘networking.’

It represents an especially important part of the job hunt within the security profession. Hiring managers prefer to deal with those they know and trust — not unknown applicants that submit resumes online.

The problem?

No one tells you "how" to network. That can make the prospect of reaching out to strangers daunting.

Our guest today has an answer to this issue.

Joining me on the show this time is Steve Dalton, MBA. He's the Daytime Program Director of Career Services at Duke University. He's also the author of the book ‘The 2-Hour Job Search’ and ‘The Job Closer.’

In our conversation, Steve reveals a step-by-step system security professionals can use to find their next career opportunity.

This would be useful for experienced practitioners looking to step up to the next rung on the career ladder, servicemembers looking to transition to the private sector, or a student looking for their first job.

We also discuss:

Links:

Connect with Steve on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/2hourjobsearch/

Connect with Steve on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dalton_Steve

The 2-Hour Job Search: https://2hourjobsearch.com

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the Liferaft Physical Security Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to podcasts.

Over the past few weeks, criminals have started to employ a new tactic against retailers to great effect: ORC flash mobs.

Loss prevention pros nationwide spent much the holiday season responding to a spat of ‘smash and grab’ robberies, in which a group of thieves swarm a store and ransack everything on the shelves.

It presents a big headache for retailers.

In addition to the loss of inventory, ORC flash mob robberies terrify customers and employees. And the high profile nature of such incidences can lead to a swath of negative media coverage.

So what stores are most at risk? And how can proactive security teams address this issue?

Drew Neckar, President and Principal Consultant at the Security Advisers Consulting Group, is on the show today.

In this episode, he explains exactly what are ORC flash mobs and the threat they pose to retailers.

We also discuss:

* How thieves pick their targets: 7 ways to protect yourself.

* How to prevent flash mobs without compromising the customers’ shopping experience.

* Why popular anti-shoplifting devices no longer work (and what to do about it).

* Why you have to work with local retailers in your community to tackle this issue.

Links:

Connect with Drew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewneckar/

The Security Advisors Consulting Group: https://www.securityadvisorcg.com

Resources discussed in this episode:

Combatting “flash mob” and “smash & grab” organized retail crime: https://www.securityadvisorcg.com/post/combattingorganizedretailcrime

Never miss an episode by subscribing on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to podcasts.

And for more tips on building a successful threat intelligence program, be sure to check out the LifeRaft blog at LifeRaftInc.com.

The LifeRaft Physical Security Podcast is going on a short hiatus for the holidays. But don't worry. We have lots of great content lined up for you in the New Year!

Here's a quick preview:

* Drew Neckar, CPP, CHPA: Combatting ORC Flash Mobs

* Steve Dalton, MBA: Networking in the Security Profession

* Mike Evans MSyI M.ISRM AMBCI: Creating More ‘Actionable’ Intel

* Jerry Heying, CPP: The Gray Man Approach to VIP Protection

* Charles "CHUCK" Andrews - CPP: Top Security Trends of 2022

* AJ De Rosa: The Future of Event Security

* Russ Law: The Employee Experience in Corporate Security

The next episode is coming out January 4th. You can listen to it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever else you listen to podcasts.

And from everyone here at the LifeRaft team, have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

See you in the New Year!

The Covid pandemic has created the perfect environment for malicious insiders. 

With everyone working from home, security teams often no longer have many of the needed controls to detect suspicious activities. And less supervision provides more opportunities to undermine their organizations.

In this episode of the LifeRaft Physical Security Podcast, Alan Saquella, CPP explains how Covid lead to a dramatic spike in the number of insider threat incidents.

He also shares:

* How to protect your organization from remote insider threats

* The low-tech solution for detecting malicious insiders

* The number one mistake security teams make when addressing insider threats

Connect with Alan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-saquella-cpp/

For more tips on building and managing a successful threat intelligence program, subscribe to the LifeRaft Physical Security Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you listen to podcasts.

Correction: In this episode, we described Alan Saquella as an adjunct faculty professor of Security and Intelligence at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University. He's now a full-time professor.

The concept of digital misinformation isn't new, but the problem is growing — and it's becoming a serious security threat for businesses.

If you want to safeguard your organization against false rumors and conspiracy theories, I can’t think of anybody better to talk to than Neil Spencer, Manager of Market Strategy at LifeRaft Inc., and Spencer Oliphant, our resident OSINT analyst.

In this episode, we discuss:

* How outrageous rumors circulating online can jeopardize business continuity as well as the safety of customers and employees.

* From Covid lockdowns to climate lockdowns: How conspiracy theories are changing focus post-Covid.

* The fast-growing social network conspiracy theorists are using to spread their message.

* The seven best websites to monitor for new online rumors and misinformation that could impact your organization.

* Actionable steps security practitioners can take to proactively monitor and address misinformation in 2022.

For more insights on building a successful threat intelligence program, subscribe to the LifeRaft Physical Security Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

If you work in security leadership, then you probably appreciate the challenge of recruiting and retaining top talent.

This will become a big problem for managers in 2022.

Thanks to a tight job market, long-tenured employees have started to chase higher salaries. And with the Baby Boomer generation approaching retirement age, economists expect an exodus of experienced professionals over the coming years.

So how can someone running a security or threat intelligence program address these duel challenges?

Alan Saquella is an adjunct faculty professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, College of Business, Security and Intelligence.

Before that, he served as the Director of Security and Investigations at Cox Communications.

In this episode, we discuss the state of the job market, how security leaders can recruit and retain employees, and the most underrated source of top talent in the profession today.

In this episode, you will learn:

Digital disinformation presents a growing challenge for businesses.

Technology has made it simple to manipulate audio and images. Combined with the rise of social media, bad actors can easily spread fake news and rumors.

And if successful, these digital disinformation campaigns can have an enormous impact on a company’s reputation and operations.

In the worst case scenario, a well-targeted disinformation campaign can even jeopardize the safety of employees and customers.

Buddy Jericho is the CEO of Echo Analytics Group.

He served on the ground during the conflicts in Iraq, Bosnia, and Afghanistan. Altogether, Jericho has more than 20 years of experience in the intelligence community.

In this episode, we explore exactly what is digital disinformation, the threat it presents to Corporate America, and how security practitioners can address this challenge.

In this episode, we explore:

* Misinformation versus disinformation: What's the difference?

* The shadowy Russian agency behind many of these campaigns

* The tactics adversaries employ during disinformation campaigns (and how to spot them)

* Why America's adversaries are investing so much money into disinformation campaigns

* Why you need a good research question before conducting an OSINT investigation (and how to write one yourself)

* The role OSINT practitioners can play in combating disinformation

Links to check out:

For years, the dark web has served as a hub for criminal organizations online. But increasingly, these nefarious individuals have started to move their activities to a new platform: Telegram.

The instant messaging service now ranks as one of the world's fastest-growing applications. Hundreds of millions of users love the service thanks for the apps strict privacy futures and limited contact moderation.

But such hands off approach has attracted scores of bad actors. Telegram channels now service marketplaces for counterfeiters, identity thieves, and other organized criminal groups.

All of which makes Telegram a valuable source of threat intelligence. Yep despite the app's rapid growth, many security leaders have never heard of it.

In this episode of the LifeRaft Security Conversation Series, resident OSINT analyst Spencer Oliphant explains exactly what is Telegram and how security teams can mine this site for a useful intelligence.

In this podcast, you will learn:

* Why failing to monitor Telegram represents a big blind spot in many corporate security programs.

* How hate groups exploit Telegram to recruit new members and spread their message.

* The type of threats security analysts often detect on Telegram.

* The thriving online market places for stolen Covid vaccines and fake vaccination passports.

* The biggest mistake security teams make when conducting investigations on Telegram.

If you work as a leader and corporate security, then you have probably heard this question when speaking to executives, “What is the ROI on that?“

Security leaders have a responsibility to address a growing number of threats against their organizations. That requires more people, more technology, and more budget.

Unfortunately, this reality is not always evident to decision makers. Executives want to see a measurable return on every dollar they spend. But the benefits of a well run physical security program are largely invisible.

Is this edition of the LifeRaft Security Conversations series, Chairman and Cofounder of Topo.ai Phil Harris discusses how security leaders can better articulate the value of their physical security program.

In this episode, you will learn:

* How to measure the ROI of your physical security program.

* How to play corporate politics (and get what you want).

* Why decision makers see security as a bloated cost center (and how to fix that perception)

* Why security departments often get siloed in organizations

* How to ask executives for a larger budget.

* What physical security professionals can learn from their peers in cybersecurity

* What corporate leaders need to know about their company's 10-K document

For years, the fundamentals of event security rarely changed. But increasingly, teams have started to add a new piece to their defensive tool kit: social media monitoring.

Nowadays, just about everyone visiting your venue has a smart phone in their pocket. That can effectively turn them into a second set of eyes for spotting potential security risks like crime, violence, or other emergencies.

For intense, a fan may leak the location of a VIP on Snapchat. Or a staff member may post a picture of their work badge to LinkedIn -- which could be exploited by bad actors to access secured facilities.

All of which can compromise the safety of people and staff attending your event.

In this conversation, LifeRaft product specialist Tristan Laugher discusses the role social media monitoring can play in event security, as well as practical tips for conducting surveillance more effectively. He also explores how security leaders can demonstrate the value of a robust threat intelligence program to executives in their organization.

In this episode, you will learn:

* The little known social networks where threat actors are migrating right now.

* The most common social media monitoring mistakes that compromise event security.

* Why you're overlooking critical new threats online (and what to do about it).

* The one lesson event security teams can learn from the US Capitol riots.

* How are your fans and employees accidentally compromise your organization's security online.

* The biggest blindspot in most corporate threat intelligence programs.