Download Surveillance Countermeasures A Serious Guide To Detecting Evading And Eluding Threats To Personal Privacy ACM IV Security Services 9780873647632 Books

Product details Paperback 192 pages Publisher Paladin Press (March 1, 1994) Language English ISBN-10 0873647637

Surveillance Countermeasures A Serious Guide To Detecting Evading And Eluding Threats To Personal Privacy ACM IV Security Services 9780873647632 Books Reviews

• Being completely unfamiliar with the subject, I found the book very detailed, informative and technically excellent - it reads like a textbook written by someone who obviously knows what he's talking about. Both surveillance detection and avoidance are discussed in great detail, and countersurveillance and antisurveillance are covered to some extent as well.
  
  The book is certain to appeal to readers with a paranoid bent - and especially to those with good reasons to be paranoid - and could be an enlightening read to the average person, too. Unfortunately, the take-home message for me is - if you're ever going to be under surveillance, the probability of beating teams of professional operatives (like government agencies) at this game approaches zero.
• One element that often comes up in my writing is surveillance. In spy fiction, surveillance is as common as chase scenes in action films. It doesn't matter if you're talking about The Pavement Artists in John Le Carre's classics or the SDR's of Barry Eisler. There is an art and a science to being followed.
  
  One of the books that I've used to inform my writing is Surveillance Countermeasures (SC). Released by Paladin Press in 1994, this book approaches counter surveillance as a skill not just for spies but for business executives working abroad, victims of stalkers and others. While the book does go into a lot of theory and practice for avoiding observation on foot, in a vehicle or even in the home, it makes several assumptions that reduce its effectiveness for a wide audience.
  The book starts by explaining the difference between surveillance detection (figuring out you are being followed or watched), surveillance avoidance (eluding someone who is trying to follow you) and counter surveillance (following the people who are following you). Then SC walks you through the process of detecting, avoiding and countering observation in a variety of scenarios including day, night, on foot, in a car, in urban, sub urban and rural areas. It even tries to provide a small section on detecting microphones and video cameras in your home, although that section lost me and I doubt it is as relevant now as it was in 1994.
  
  For all the good information that SC provides, it has its limitations. The main one is that it assumes you are being shadowed by professionals over a long period of time. This gives you a chance to detect patterns of movement or behavior during the course of your daily life. That premise makes perfect sense for the scenarios that I write about, where professional operators and terrorists have the patience to put their schemes in motion. It isn't as applicable for the woman being stalked by her jealous boyfriend or the potential crime victim being followed by an opportunistic criminal. I don't think this reduces the utility of this book overall, but the audience it can serve isn't as broad as it claims.
  
  The other minor point is that SC was written in 1994, so it doesn't take technological advances into account. A new version that I haven't read was released in 2008. While that might be dated as well anyone interested in SC should probably pick up the updated version. I would also suggest picking up Marc MacYoung's Street E&E book to get a more visceral perspective on the subject.
  
  I think my descriptions of surveillance have been enhanced by this book. I recommend it to anyone who is interested about this art.
  
  Have fun.
  Gamal
• This book reads like a classroom textbook on the topic. Lots of terms that you would hear on a TV detective show (think Law & Order), and how to set up a stakeout, how to detect if you're being observed, and how to get un-observed if you've detected an operation. I bought this book in an effort to enhance my own privacy and I would have to say there are probably better books on the topic. But, if you want a basic primer on surveillance, this is a good place to start.
• This book is about traditional surveillance tactics. A surveillance team may consist of anything from a couple of people to about twelve people. The guy in charge of the team is called the Handler (Field Officer, Team Leader). The surveillant, who at the moment is following the Target, is the one who's in Command of the Target. Let's say the Target is walking down a sidewalk in a city. The guy following him is then in Command. Suddenly the Target steps into a taxi and drives off. The surveillant on the street has lost Command of the Target and quickly informs the Handler about the situation by radio. A surveillance-vehicle, (a car) with two surveillants in it, has been circling in the vicinity. When they catch up with the taxi they are in Command of the Target and so on... If you add subtle harassment you've got gang stalking. (The book is a bit on the technical side, but still worth a read). By the way, rule number 1 Always assume you are under surveillance. Always. 24/7.
• A good defense is a better offense!!! You can't fight what you don't understand. For this reason, many fall victim because they have no idea what is happening to them!!!
• Get it excellent great read worth twice its price very thorough and should be read several times to be learned
• While this book may come off initially as dry, upon reading further, the reader realizes that the dryness, the technicality, is necessary for instructing the reader in the practical applications outlined in the book. The first two chapters necessarily focus on vocabulary because for any field, the most significant hurdle is the parlance of the field in question. By using the vocabulary consistently, the reader begins to incorporate those words into their thought processes concerning the material given in the book. All in all, a great book to those interested, whether professionally or because they are James Bond fans, in out-maneuvering those who are surveilling you.
• Satisfied