At the best of times corporate espionage is a highly destructive, illegal activity. What makes it worse is that during unstable economic times corporate espionage increases as firms compete ever harder to survive.

Corporations can be infiltrated and under surveillance for long periods of time during which huge amounts of business intelligence can be collected. The loss of new product ideas, research, technical information, customer databases, marketing plans and prospective bids and tenders can spell disaster for a company.

This is why many companies are adopting a proactive approach to protecting their business assets by employing the services of TSCM (technical surveillance counter measures) professionals. These experts use the latest technology and years of expertise to conduct regular bug sweeps that detect and counter the efforts of would be spies as well as providing ongoing protection against future attacks.

Finding a TSCM company is easy, conducting a Google search will throw up any number of possible candidates. However, choosing a company with the right skills and approach to provide an effective and thorough service is another matter. Get this wrong and you may find that your business is still leaking its secrets after one of their sweeps.

Here are just a few things to look for when choosing a TSCM company.

1. Do they offer an initial risk assessment?

Rather than just turning up and conducting a sweep without first understanding your needs and the threats you might be under, a professional bug sweeping company will take the time to discuss your suspicions and risk assess the situation. For more in depth assessments they may also arrange a meeting to discuss any existing problems away from the suspected area so as to avoid arousing suspicion. In some cases they may even advise against having a TSCM inspection or bug sweep if, after assessment, they feel it inappropriate or unnecessary.

2. Do they operate a discreet service?

Obviously the last thing you need is for employees, competitors or the media to get wind of any problems you might be experiencing. A professional counter surveillance company will handle your case seriously, discreetly and sensitively and create the minimum disturbance to normal work activities.

Ideally the TSCM sweep should be conducted covertly, out of normal office hours and with very few or no personnel on site during the operation. Your TSCM company should also provide a suitable cover story along with supporting documentation to divert attention away from the inspection team.

3. What specialist skills and expertise do they hold?

You should look for a TSCM company that holds a number of years of experience working with different clients in various global locations. A company that holds little experience will not have the same kind of experience to draw on to deal with the many varied situations that can arise.

Equally the personnel used to conduct your bug sweep should be trained, experienced and equipped with the latest counter surveillance equipment and techniques. Without this they may not be able to detect and deter all the threats posed by the latest developments in technical spying equipment.

4. Do they offer a range of counter surveillance services?

Your TSCM service should be tailored to meet your specific needs and to counter the surveillance threats you are under. A one size service does not fit all. A competent TSCM provider recognises this and should offer a service that is adequately staffed and pulls on a range of inspection and security techniques. This might include physical security reviews, computer scanning and IP detection, layered security inspections and executive vehicle searches.

5. What professional qualifications do they hold?

Competent TSCM companies know the importance of proving their experience and expertise. When looking to appoint one you should enquire about professional membership and qualifications held.

These might include: The American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS), The British Espionage Control and Countermeasures Association (BECCA), The Security Institute, CESG Listed Advisor Scheme, The British Computer Society, The Institute of Information Security Professionals (IISP), the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) qualification and the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) qualification.