Everything we do is designed to provide our clients with the peace of mind they seek, putting them back in control, with a singular focus on helping them feel safer.
Digital Vulnerability Assessment
This is our baseline service and one we encourage all our clients to have to access and understand the level of private information that is publicly available, the risks that carries and can include sentiment analysis.
This is a vital service to set a baseline for a client’s vulnerability to threats, both criminal, physical, and reputational and can identify when a client is vulnerable to identity theft and fake profiles being created in their name.
Research is conducted replicating a range of potential threat actors (public, criminal, journalists/media, through state actors).
Areas reviewed include key information, watchlist searches, contact details, dark web searches, associated businesses and organisations, social media, media / adverse media, and deep web/database presence.
For an individual, we generally require 3 to 5 days (depending on the profile of this individual).
For organisations, we usually require 5 to 10 days (depending on the size of the organisation).
The report aims to provide an initial threat assessment and recommended mitigation areas with elements of physical, online/digital security and a reputational risk focus.
Once an assessment is conducted, we can then identify mitigation opportunities.
Protective Intelligence
This investigative and analytical process is used to proactively identify, assess, and mitigate threats.
Background checks, due diligence and intelligence investigations are conducted by experts. If we can't find it, we're confident neither can your adversaries.
How much do you know about the key individuals who engage with, be they employees, customers, or competitors?
All too often due diligence has been seen as checking what you already know.
We tell what you don't know, such as:
Who is the person behind the profile?
Who are they connected to?
Is there something findable in their history that may compromise you?
What are their capability gaps and points of friction?
How vulnerable are they to unwanted influence?
Prior knowledge of possible dangers or problems can deliver a key advantage and prevent time-consuming and costly mistakes
Due Diligence and Investigations
When a crisis or conflict arises a prompt independent investigation is required.
We conduct internal investigations. From low-level concerns to serious threats from internal and external parties. We have significant expertise in investigating integrity issues like abuse of power, harassment, bullying, (anonymous) threats, intimidation, extortion, insider concerns and criminal acts
This will be conducted by multiple analysts (or linguists if required) – and will include OSINT, dark web, and database searches. The aimed output is a comprehensive, referenced report with assessment/analysis.
Starting with a 1 day scoping exercise this allows us to be measured, ensure output is spot on to requirements and provide recommendations for next steps, allowing you to provide direction/preference on subsequent priorities.
Sometimes if we know from the start the investigation will be more complex or longer running, we advise on the time needed accordingly, at the same day rate (although we can be flexible on the day rate for longer running projects depending on requirements)
Stalking, Harassment and Unwanted Attention
We have a proven capability when investigating clients to resolve these issues. Dr Sheridan is one of the world's recognised experts, having written the first PhD on stalking in Europe.
Stalking:
Stalking is a pattern of fixated and obsessive behaviour that is persistent, and intrusive, and can spark distress and fears of violence. Unfortunately, it’s commonplace and the consequences can be serious, even for the most resilient: Targets may live in fear, become unable to make simple everyday decisions, and may even retreat from public life.
Stalkers often use the internet to carry out their campaigns of harassment. They can pursue high-status targets on social media, making unjustified accusations and threats to inflict maximum reputational harm.
Harassment:
Harassment includes repeated attempts to impose ‘unwanted communications and contact’ upon someone and which is likely to cause distress or fear in them. It has to be targeted at a person (or a group) and the person harassing is likely to know that they are harassing the other person. (or group). Naturally, they are likely to deny they knew that, so this excuse is removed by the term ‘ought to know’ within the legislation.
Behavioural Analysis & Profiling
Dr Lorraine Sheridan Phd is our resident Chartered Forensic Psychologist. Lorraine is a police accredited and FBI trained offender profiler and compiles psychological reports related to offenders, highlighting the risks posed by known or unknown suspects.
There exist many scenarios where threats can emerge against prominent people, but not all pose a real and present danger. Some threats are communicated only for impact, without the perpetrator intending to carry them through; Others, however, could escalate rapidly if left unchecked.
While even the least viable threats can instil a sense of fear in the target - the effects of which should never be underestimated - it’s crucial to distinguish these from threats that could result in harm being inflicted on the target.
At Defuse®, our behavioural analysis and profiling techniques enable us to identify the most serious threats and obtain vital information about those responsible.
Our profiling enables us to assess:
- The risks an individual poses.
- Why a person behaves in a certain way.
- Identify the behavioural and linguistic Red Flags indicating a threat is escalating.
- How best to engage and manage any interaction with that individual.
- The typology of their stalking behaviour.
- How to reduce any harm posed by or to the individual.
next steps
If you are experiencing abuse on social media or are concerned about your safety or the safety of your family – online or offline – take action today by calling Defuse.
With a range of effective threat management, cybersecurity and reputational management strategies available, we have the skills and experience to resolve and end the abusive situation.