For almost every company, one of the greatest threats is posed by know-how being leaked to competitors. Spying on tender documents and prices for orders can have equally serious consequences. The continuous development of miniaturized surveillance devices are making eavesdropping easier and leading to increased risks of bugging, as the technology is becoming cheaper and can now be operated without technical understanding.
The danger of a bugging or even a major eavesdropping incident is often underestimated by companies and not perceived as a real threat. It is therefore often not part of the security strategy in the company. In addition to the reduction of physical security and the increasing concentration on IT security, the confidential communication between employees and decision-makers has increasingly moved out of focus. Meetings are increasingly taking place in unsafe environments such as conference centers or hotels – these are predestined for major eavesdropping incidents. The company's own office and meeting rooms are rarely checked or designed with information security or anti- bugging in mind and thus bear a similar risk.
Most confidential information is still exchanged orally. Professional anti-bugging should be considered an essential part of a company’s information security. Eavesdropping protection is understood to be the totality of all measures that prevent bugging (listening in on) conversations – whether on site or on the telephone. Telekom anti-eavesdropping offers exactly this protection in the following areas:
The high-frequency investigation detects anomalies as compared to the usual frequency environment. These differences may, in the worst case, indicate hidden radio transmitters or other interception techniques. Unusual signals are detected, interpreted, and localized.
The room infrastructure (floors, ceilings, walls, etc.) and their furnishings often offer good hiding places. These can be used for various types of surveillance equipment such as bugs. By extensively inspecting the rooms, these potential dangers for a eavesdropping incident are eliminated.
A further risk of bugging incidents is posed by existing electronic communication equipment. In order to detect manipulations in the cable network, a physical end-to-end measurement is carried out as well as line-bound semiconductor detection.
It is often not possible to open and inspect many objects and technical devices such as thermos flasks, socket strips, telephones, etc. without destroying them or only with considerable effort. A clear conclusion as to whether suspicious content (electronics or the like) is present in an object that cannot be opened is therefore only possible by means of an X-ray check.
An active electronic module generates increased temperature due to heat loss. With the help of a thermal imaging camera, heat points in the room are detected and subjected to closer examination. This allows hidden electronic equipment to be identified.
Optical surveillance devices, which work on the basis of laser or infrared technology, present a further danger. During the investigation, active infrared transmitters are detected both indoors and outdoors. Glass transmission measurements provide information about the feasibility of a laser attack. Finally, the possibility of using strong optical systems to obtain information from the rooms is examined.
Raised floors, any kind of veneers, as well as furniture often provide very good opportunities for placing surveillance equipment, such as bugs. A semiconductor detector can be used to locate them. Electronic components that are not active at the time of inspection are also detected.
At the customer’s request, inspected objects such as telephones, keyboards, switches, and sockets can be provided with a visible or invisible seal. After the inspection, this ensures that manipulations for eavesdropping incidents can be easily detected or excluded.
On request, our measures can also actively protect meetings and conferences against eavesdropping incidents. Whether in your own or on external premises (e.g. hotels or conference centers), our services for anti-bugging can be implemented almost anywhere.
