How do you find out if the field intelligence portrayed in espionage novels or spy movies is realistic?To find the answer, you need to look at what the characters are actually trying to achieve. That may sound obvious, but in my experience, as soon as words like surveillance, surveillance detection, and counter-surveillance enter the conversation,… Read More Surveillance, Surveillance Detection & Countersurveillance
Many people might find it surprising but much of the field-craft that goes into such things as surveillance detection and special protective operations—even some of the sexier stuff—can be applied in your own life as well. For example, the three-part article series about Circles of Security (part 1, part 2, part 3) I wrote a… Read More Applying Covert Field-craft in Your Daily Life
The following article is taken from Chapter 2 of my book Surveillance Zone. The book gives you an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look into the mysterious world of private-sector espionage, surveillance detection and covert protective operations. Before I get into the real meat of the book, I thought I’d take a little time to let you in on my… Read More Prologue – My Unconventional Background
The following article is taken from Chapter 3 of my book Surveillance Zone. The book gives you an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look into the mysterious world of private-sector espionage, surveillance detection and covert protective operations. Back when I was living in Tokyo, I met a fellow Israeli named Danny who became my closest friend during my years in… Read More Inductive Observation – Watching & Understanding People
This article will cover some of the more common misconceptions I’ve encountered among non-practitioners of covert operations (mainly those who want to employ covert operators). For those interested in getting tips for field operators, please check out my previous articles, Tips & Suggestions for Covert Operators and Tips & Suggestions for SD Operators. Overt—Low-Profile—Covert I… Read More Covert Operations – Common Misconceptions
Well, it’s been another great year. There sure have been some crazy at times (and don’t get me started on politics…), but not unlike last year, this has been the best year yet for Protection Circle, and for me personally. The blog shot up to over 80,000 reads this year alone, and readership since its… Read More Debrief: 2017
What follows is Chapter 12 of my new book Surveillance Zone. The book gives you an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look into the mysterious world of private-sector espionage, surveillance detection and covert protective operations. By this point in the book, some of you are bound to start asking how you, too, can get in on the action and become… Read More So You Want To Be a Covert Operator
I had a great time on SOFREP Radio recently. For those of you who haven’t heard of SOFREP, check it out. These guys do lots of good and provide great content, insights and commentary. It was a true honor to be invited on.
What follows is Chapter 9 of my book Surveillance Zone. A technology conference somewhere in Silicon Valley, 2013. The tech conference was coming along well, and thousands of attendees were busily going in and out of the convention center during their lunch break. I was on my third day working undercover and was becoming quite… Read More Lessons From The Field: Covert Operations
