WEEKLY ROUND-UP #33 (18 MAY-25 MAY)

We will go back to some of our tweets of interest of the past week and expand further on the indicators that we presented as they affect the security situation of a country. When we produce vulnerability assessments for our clients, six threat factors are analyzed and assessed while four hazards are also analyzed and assessed. If gaps are identified they are covered by atmospherics elements. The goal of our tweets is to highlight and provide examples of the research that we do.

 

From 23 May:

 

1.  "Tunisia update: Tourism down "drastically" since Bardo museum attack. Empty resorts, empty hotels & empty souks. Tourism is 7% of GDP..."

 

From 24 May:

 

2.  "Kenya update: @MagicalKenya hires @CNN to "get back tourists". Tourism is an important source of revenues as threats of terrorism risks from extremism rise there. Good example of travel promotion potentially at cost of unnecessarily risking lives or collateral threats".

3.  "Brazil update: Recent wave of knive attacks in Rio in which western tourists were targeted. Police to patrol tourist hubs to prevent further crimes. Much work must be done prior to @Rio2016 to guarantee minimum visitor safety. See us if you plan travel there."

Our Comment: Visibly travel is not getting safer while corporations and countries alike must become more creative and persuasive to attract travellers, business and leisure types alike. Our analysts see almost daily examples of travel related marketing for destinations that are not what they are highlighted as and some readers can attest to that from past experience. On one hand your government travel advisories are helpful however do rarely provide insight of particular interest and almost never make projections, usually reacting to recent events in order to advise their expats or for those soon to travel. The above examples of tweets that we provide illustrate the complexity of today's travel. On the other hand, there are many complicated and costly travel risk mitigation and solution from the security industry, often out of reach to many travellers. We at PAR-SEC Consulting offer accurate vulnerability assessments covering six threats as well as four hazards that are specific to your itinerary, never generic projections. For more information on how to remain safer while abroad on your next business trip or vacation at great cost effectiveness contact us using below e-mail or visit our website.

We welcome inquiries so we can determine your security needs. Your first consultation is always free. We invite you to review our past twitter posts @parsecconsult as well as this blog's entries. We encourage feedback and questions to our e-mail:parsec.consulting@gmail.com

Our website: http://parsecconsulting.wix.com/parsecconsulting

Attribution: copies and redistribution of the above material in any medium or format is authorized providing full attribution is credited by using full link of present blog. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT REALLY IS OPEN SOURCE INTELLIGENCE?

In the past few years, especially in the past 6 months our analysts have stumbled repeatedly across the erroneous use of the acronym OSINT. Open Source Intelligence has been loosely portrayed in many different ways by very influential persons and entities alike on social media, the internet and on written documentation. We believe pertinent to reset the clocks.
 
Firstly let's define Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) from reliable sources.
 
1. From the US Army ADP-2.0:
 
"4-42. Open-source intelligence is information of potential intelligence value that is available to the general public (JP 2-0). For the Army, OSINT is the discipline that pertains to intelligence produced from publicly available information that is collected, exploited, and disseminated in a timely manner to an appropriate audience for the purpose of addressing a specific intelligence requirement. OSINT operations are integral to Army intelligence operations. 
4-44. OSINT is derived from the systematic collection, processing, and analysis of publicly available, relevant information in response to intelligence requirements."
 
2. From the FBI:
 
"Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) refers to a broad array of information and sources that are generally available, including information obtained from the media (newspapers, radio, television, etc.), professional and academic records (papers, conferences, professional associations, etc.), and public data (government reports, demographics, hearings, speeches, etc.).
Unlike the other INTs, open-source intelligence is not the responsibility of any one agency, but instead is collected by the entire USIC. One advantage of OSINT is its accessibility, although the sheer amount of available information can make it difficult to know what is of value. Determining the data’s source and its reliability can also be complicated. OSINT data therefore still requires review and analysis to be of use to policymakers."
 
3. From the InfoSec Institute:
 
"The use of OSINT has grown within the private sector as well as being a mainstay of the military and the intelligence services for years."
 
4. From Wikipedia:
 
"OSINT is defined by both the U.S. Director of National Intelligence and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), as "produced from publicly available information that is collected, exploited, and disseminated in a timely manner to an appropriate audience for the purpose of addressing a specific intelligence requirement".
 
5. On Business intelligence/OSINT:
 
"Business OSINT encompasses Commercial Intelligence, Competitor Intelligence, and Business Intelligence, and is often a chief area of practice of private intelligence agencies.
Businesses may use information brokers and private investigators to collect and analyze relevant information for business purposes which may include the media, deep web, web 2.0 and commercial content."
 
Key words from reliable definitions of OSINT include: "produced from publicly available information", "OSINT is derived from", "analysis of publicly available information" and "requires review and analysis".  Additionally, OSINT is an intelligence function along with MASINT and GEOINT, to name a few and is distinguished mainly from other functions in that it is usually unclassified matter. So unanimously OSINT is an unclassified product which is generated from analysis of publicly available information.


Some of our recent tweets on this matter:

21 march 2015:
"Many tweets out there today confuse #OSINT with news reporting. OSINT needs analysis element from public available info. Info is not intel."

12 March 2015:
"Unlike our competition, we do not report the news. We provide full insight, analysis & true #OSINT."

21 February 2015:
"News reporting is NOT #OSINT & speculating on breaking news is NOT #intelligence analysis."

07 December 2014:
"Why do some organizations claim to produce #OSINT documents when, in fact, all amount to unevaluated & raw traffic (info)?"


We at PAR-SEC Consulting have come across many "professionals" in the travel risk management industry and from other fields who have routinely confused news reporting for OSINT. News reporting can be the starting point for OSINT, as raw information or data. A logical process comprising analysis, source vetting, reliability/credibility of information, peer review, an unbiased mind, etc must be followed towards an intelligence product.

Can you entrust your safety while abroad from one of these organizations that commit such basic mistakes ?



We welcome inquiries so we can determine your security needs. Your first consultation is always free. We invite you to review our past twitter posts @parsecconsult as well as this blog's entries. We encourage feedback and questions to our e-mail:parsec.consulting@gmail.com

Our website: http://parsecconsulting.wix.com/parsecconsulting

Attribution: copies and redistribution of the above material in any medium or format is authorized providing full attribution is credited by using full link of present blog. 

    

WEEKLY ROUND-UP #32 (12 FEBRUARY-18 FEBRUARY)

We will go back to some of our tweets of interest of the past week and expand further on the indicators that we presented as they affect the security situation of a country. When we produce vulnerability assessments for our clients, six threat factors are analyzed and assessed while four hazards are also analyzed and assessed. If gaps are identified they are covered by atmospherics elements. The goal of our tweets is to highlight and provide examples of the research that we do.


From 14 February:

1.  "Our analysts still come across travel suggestions for countries that are not safe for tourism. Travelers: use common sense, good judgement".

From 15 February:

2.  "Did you know? Most "Travel Assistance" firms offer services for a steep fee that are available for free from other sources. Buyer beware!

Our Comment: Our team of researchers come across many instances of questionable travel suggestions to destinations that are outright hazardous for travelers and that on a regular basis! Many travel destinations either be for leisure of for business prospecting are not recommended at all unless private security firms or travel risk mitigation firms such as us are consulted for a successful trip abroad with risks quantification, threats and hazards mitigation via thorough analysis and a full vulnerability assessment along with recommended courses of actions. Business travelers and tourists may often not be appraised of the many dangers that await them in certain countries.

Thorough due diligence is not always achieved by our competition.

Such is the case when using the word intelligence by them. More recently we also have uncovered that the acronym OSINT is also misused from time to time by others in the travel risk management industry. Not fully grasping what is intelligence and what is OSINT can have serious repercussions for the end user. By simply reporting the news as OSINT is very problematic for many reasons. The same can be equally worrying when these same companies use speculation on a specific matter and twist it as "intelligence".
In order to be well advised prior to traveling to a higher risk country, we recommend at the very least a comprehensive assessment of all potential threats and hazards at the destination accompanied by pertinent risk quantification, analysis and an easy to follow course of action in order to remain safer while abroad. We consider anything less as unacceptable.




We welcome inquiries so we can determine your security needs. Your first consultation is always free. We invite you to review our past twitter posts @parsecconsult as well as this blog's entries. We encourage feedback and questions to our e-mail:parsec.consulting@gmail.com

Our website: http://parsecconsulting.wix.com/parsecconsulting

Attribution: copies and redistribution of the above material in any medium or format is authorized providing full attribution is credited by using full link of present blog. 

BEST OF 2014

The following will constitute web links to some of our better blog posts of the past year. We take this moment to wish a merry Christmas to our clients and Twitter followers as well as a safe 2015 in your travels, wherever they may take you.

Our best blogposts:


http://par-secconsulting.blogspot.ca/2014/01/generic-guidelines-for-travel-to-high.html

http://par-secconsulting.blogspot.ca/2014/02/weekly-round-up-9-31-jan-06-feb.html

http://par-secconsulting.blogspot.ca/2014/02/higher-risk-destinations.html

http://par-secconsulting.blogspot.ca/2014/02/so-what.html

http://par-secconsulting.blogspot.ca/2014/03/on-government-travel-advice.html

http://par-secconsulting.blogspot.ca/2014/03/about-intelligence.html

http://par-secconsulting.blogspot.ca/2014/04/travel-security-in-hostile-environments.html

http://par-secconsulting.blogspot.ca/2014/06/2014-brazil-fifa-world-cup-travel.html

http://par-secconsulting.blogspot.ca/2014/07/weekly-round-up-28-11-july-17-july.html

http://par-secconsulting.blogspot.ca/2014/11/on-our-accurate-travel-risk-assessments.html

We welcome inquiries so we can determine your security needs. Your first consultation is always free. We invite you to review our past twitter posts @parsecconsult as well as this blog's entries. We encourage feedback and questions to our e-mail:parsec.consulting@gmail.com

Our website: http://parsecconsulting.wix.com/parsecconsulting

Attribution: copies and redistribution of the above material in any medium or format is authorized providing full attribution is credited by using full link of present blog. 

TRAVEL SECURITY POLL

This is our first formal poll  and we welcome your input as we regard the following questions very important and relevant for our research. We thank you all in advance for your assistance. 

For the next five questions please submit your answer by posting a comment below and we encourage additional feedback or questions to our e-mail:parsec.consulting@gmail.com


QUESTION #1:

"For you, how important is situational awareness (i.e. adequate, proactive insight) prior to traveling to a country, region or an area that is deemed as riskier?"  If not important, why?

QUESTION #2:

"Do you attempt due diligence with regards to the security risks (threats and hazards) before you travel?"  If not, why?

QUESTION #3:

"Are you confident in the travel advice that is provided to you by your government when you need to go abroad?" If not, why?

QUESTION #4:

"What are your normal sources of travel security advice?"

QUESTION #5:

"Have you (or your organization) ever retained the services of a travel risk mitigation company before?" Why or why not?


Thank you! We will analyze and publish our findings after we collated appropriate amount of information.

Our website: http://parsecconsulting.wix.com/parsecconsulting

Attribution: copies and redistribution of the above material in any medium or format is authorized providing full attribution is credited by using full link of present blog. 

ON OUR ACCURATE TRAVEL RISK ASSESSMENTS & HOW OUR CLIENTS STAY SAFER WHILE ABROAD...

On 22 November, BBC reports that "Kenya bus killings claimed by Somali group al-Shabab", and   "that Gunmen from the Somali militant group al-Shabab say they have attacked a bus in northern Kenya, killing 28 people. The bus was travelling to the capital, Nairobi, when it was stopped in Mandera county, not far from the Somali border. Gunmen separated out non-Muslims by asking passengers to read from the Koran, officials and witnesses said. Those who failed were then shot in the head".

On 20 November we tweeted that recent government raids in Mombasa area were likely to trigger revenge attacks by al-shabaab.

So far this was very generic because most anyone could “predict” this outcome.

We also added that popular tourist areas were at a higher risk. We gave more information, which makes us very different from our competition for which they only tweet about news events (i.e. after an event when it is already too late!).

Yesterday, November 21 we again tweeted that a source of ours indicated that “terrorist attack possible” and that Nairobi was the likely target “in the next few days”. We share this information on twitter because not only other “travel risk mitigation” firms will not tweet this information for free on twitter but, due to the reactive nature of most of our competition they cannot offer insightful intel analysis or make accurate assessments for most threats and hazards to travelers. We also offered for tourists there to contact us for free advice to them on potential events for where they were.

This morning al-Shabaab killed 28 Christians  (this is why we articulated on that popular tourist areas would be at a higher risk). We deliberately do not offer all of the sensitive intel that we articulate and the mechanics of our analytical methods (paid for service) because that is what makes us innovative and accurate compared to our competition, the “travel risk management” firms who offer armed escorts and expensive GPS tracking devices because they simply cannot engage successfully in predictive analysis.

We continue to assess that such attacks in Kenya will continue periodically with little or no warning.

We do not recommend travel to Kenya without prior consultation with us for a complete vulnerability assessment as our clients stay safer while abroad.

Biased opinion and other emotional guesstimations from “experts” are to be avoided as dire consequences may transpire.

This recent event in Kenya unfortunately validates our research and what we do for our clients. We invite you to browse our previous blog posts and see for yourselves why we are innovative for travel intelligence and advice for riskier countries and regions.

We welcome inquiries so we can determine your security needs. Your first consultation is always free. We invite you to review our past twitter posts @parsecconsult as well as this blog's entries. We encourage feedback and questions to our e-mail:parsec.consulting@gmail.com

Our website: http://parsecconsulting.wix.com/parsecconsulting

Attribution: copies and redistribution of the above material in any medium or format is authorized providing full attribution is credited by using full link of present blog. 

WEEKLY ROUND-UP #31 (11 SEPTEMBER-17 SEPTEMBER)

We will go back to some of our tweets of interest of the past week and expand further on the indicators that we presented as they affect the security situation of a country. When we produce vulnerability assessments for our clients, six threat factors are analyzed and assessed while four hazards are also analyzed and assessed. If gaps are identified they are covered by atmospherics elements. The goal of our tweets is to highlight and provide examples of the research that we do.


From 11 September:

1.  Morocco update: We have indicators that some popular tourist areas likely to be targeted by jihadists. Consult us prior to travel there.

From 15 September:

2. After the UK, Australia raises its terror alert level. Other western countries likely to follow in next days. Attacks unlikely in near term.

Our comment: Unlike our competition within the travel risk mitigation industry, we offer free indicators via our twitter account. These indicators and warnings are usually pertaining to the security situation of a country or a region. In addition, dissimilar to our competitors we do not have to rely on the latest news to alert our clients of an event as we articulate accurate intelligence assessments (to include updates) for travelers so they are appraised of possible future events such as potential threats and existing hazards along with fairly simple courses of action to implement in order to mitigate and to promote avoidance those risks so our clients can focus on their goals while abroad. Indicators never depict the whole situation but merely offer a piece of the puzzle. In order to introduce our audience to what it is we exactly do for international travelers to higher risk countries and regions we have included several links to past blog posts which we strongly feel will best illustrate our services:

• On your government travel advisories
• How our tweets benefit travelers
• Similar information was offered for $40 by a competitor
• Some of our tweets that were proven accurate
• On privileged awareness for travelers

Our outlook: Other firms in the travel risk mitigation industry often alert their clients at the very last minute (i.e. when or after an event occurs) as they have limited means to carry out their enterprise and to achieve the expected results for their clients, they also must offer several complementary services that are often complicated to follow and always very expensive such as evacuation services, close escort services, etc. We at PAR-SEC Consulting carefully research, study, analyze and assess what our clients need to know, well before potential events are to occur by using the latest and proven intelligence analysis techniques, to include predictive analysis, human terrain as well as social media monitoring and other expertise. Our clients stay safer while abroad.

We welcome inquiries so we can determine your security needs. Your first consultation is always free. We invite you to review our past twitter posts @parsecconsult as well as this blog's entries. We encourage feedback and questions to our e-mail:parsec.consulting@gmail.com

Our website: http://parsecconsulting.wix.com/parsecconsulting

Attribution: copies and redistribution of the above material in any medium or format is authorized providing full attribution is credited by using full link of present blog.