Bug detector & sweep equipment

 A Guide to TSCM & Bug Sweep Services

Introduction

TSCM, or "Technical Surveillance Counter Measures", is the generic name for the techniques used to locate electronic surveillance, or "bugging", devices. These devices, of course, are nothing new, but advances in integrated circuit, and microchip, technologies mean that microphones, and cameras, specifically designed for clandestine surveillance are smaller, and more sophisticated, than ever before. Businesses and other organisations, such as schools, hospitals and hotels, have come to appreciate the dangers to their privacy, or that of their clients, from monitoring of confidential conversations, etc., by unscrupulous individuals, as the result of disgruntlement, bribery, or blackmail.

TSCM Equipment & Bug Sweep Services

The process of "counter eavesdropping" or "bug sweeping" can either by carried out by a professional organisation, often for a substantial fee, or, if a business or other organisation has sufficient expertise in the field, it can carry out its own sweeping. In either case, the cost of the sweep, or the cost of the equipment required, is likely to depend on the type of business, the physical size and complexity - in terms of telephone systems, computer systems, etc. - of the building(s) concerned, and the type and level of threat(s) posed. A professional sweep typically involves a physical search, and survey, plus an electronic search, including transmission and power lines.

If an organisation wishes to carry out its own TSCM, any number of professional-level devices is available. For the detection of audio only transmissions, RF ("Radio Frequency") detection meters are available, and, nowadays, are typically capable of detecting frequencies between 1MHz and 6GHz, therefore including the latest 4.2GHz and 5.8GHz frequency bands. Some detection meters feature a bar graph, or similar display, which helps to determine the proximity of RF transmissions, but are, nevertheless, small enough to be worn, unobtrusively, for private detection. For audio and video, a wireless camera detector, operating in the frequency bands between 900MHz and 2.5GHz may be more appropriate; such a detector locks onto any video, and audio, signals in the immediate vicinity, and plays them back, typically on a colour, TFT ("Thin Film Transistor") LCD screen.

Do bear in mind that some mobile broadband activities, such as VoIP, or "Voice over Internet Protocol", are not 100% secure, and signals can be intercepted not only by cracking the encryption, but by exploiting weaknesses in the sampling and compression method employed.

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