Identifying and monitoring persons of interest is crucial in creating and maintaining strong personal and brand security, and preventing future security incidents. Persons of interest (POIs) refer to individuals who pose a security risk either due to physical incidents, online activity, or other suspicious behavior. POIs range from low to high risk, based on their fixation, location proximity, and a host of other risk factors. Concentric’s experienced team of investigators works to identify POIs, analyze their risk level, and act accordingly, based on the specific concerns of each client.
Identifying social media accounts and exploring the online footprint of POIs is a decisive first step in understanding their mindset and patterns. Through identification and monitoring of POI’s social media accounts, we are able to:
- Establish a baseline. Establishing a baseline of behavior helps our investigators understand the mindset of the individual. We are able to focus at this stage on discovery of social media accounts and behavior on the surface and deep and dark web, establish a baseline for tone and frequency of posting activity, and determine if the client is the POI’s main focus or fixation.
- Detect escalating behaviors. After establishing a baseline, through consistent monitoring we are able to quickly identify escalating behaviors. This includes changes in rhetoric, increased attempts to reach a principal, and a change in fixation or target. Upon detection, our team reviews activity, determines if a risk level should be updated, and alerts the client accordingly, including if there are any changes to recommended security measures.
After identifying the online presence of a POI, our team is able to build out a comprehensive associate network for the POI, using both open source intelligence and investigative databases. Building an associate network assists with:
- Identifying group affiliation. Finding links between an individual and what people and groups they associate with can help determine how likely they are to engage in risky behavior. We are able to monitor for any posts that would indicate a change in mindset or an escalating risk of violence and notify clients accordingly.
- Additional intelligence gathering. Identifying relatives and associates assists with building a full profile of a POI and understanding their background, motivations, and patterns. Identifying these connections early can also assist in account identification and allow our team to continue monitoring even in the case that a POI attempts to erase their online presence.
Beyond an online presence and affiliation network, we utilize open source techniques and databases to identify known locations and criminal backgrounds for POIs. Understanding where POIs reside and locations they frequent is important to understanding the potential of a physical threat, as is any history of criminal behavior. Should this information increases the risk to the client, our team is able to:
- Coordinate with the appropriate security personnel to provide a profile of the POI. In the event we identify an increasing threat profile, we work quickly to gather all crucial information and relevant POI images in a one page document, suitable for dissemination to our clients and their security teams.
- Increase executive protection presence. Concentric has a highly qualified and vetted global team of executive protection agents who can be deployed should an increased physical security presence is necessary. If our investigations team identifies a growing POI threat, especially if they are in close geographical proximity or have expressed an intent to travel, we can coordinate/liaise with law enforcement entities as/if appropriate, and may recommend an increased physical security posture to deter any security incidents.
Understanding the risks posed by POIs and identifying and monitoring them early and often is one of the best preventative measures a person can take to avoid potentially harmful scenarios. To learn more about Concentric’s investigations team and to inquire about our POI monitoring services, visit our website or email us at info@concentric.io.
Author: Hannah Kenneally, GSOC Team Manager
