The passing of an Icon, Glenn Howard Whidden, RIP my friend...

In Memory

-

Glenn Howard Whidden

March 27, 1928 - November 24, 2011

Beloved Husband, Father, Mentor & Friend

On Thursday, November 24, 2011; Glenn Howard Whidden, 28 year veteran of The Central Intelligence Agency, President of The Espionage Research Institute (ERI), Passed this life. The beloved husband of Natalie Whidden; devoted father of David Whidden. He is also survived by many other relatives and friends. He will be greatly missed by all who had the honor to know him. 


All services and interment will take place in Manchester, NH.  Please Share your thoughts and memories about Glenn, in the guestbook here: 

http://www.kalasfuneralhomes.com/sitemaker/sites/George2/obit.cgi?user=513974Whidden

GLENN WHIDDEN (Age 83)  

Of Fort Washington, MD died November 24, 2011 after a short illness. He is survived by his wife Natalie; three sons Mark, David, and Thomas; and numerous grandchildren. He will be buried in Manchester, NH in a private family service. 

Author of "The Attack on Axnan Headquarters"

Available at <www.1stbooks.com>

TSCM

Technical Services Agency, 

Whidden, Glenn H., The Ear: Volume I, Technical Services Agency the prestigious Technical Services Agency - Institute for Countermeasures Studies and Glenn Whidden (CIA-ret); the current President of BECCA 

OCCUPATION: President of Technical Services Agency Inc., a private firm that designs and markets electronic equipment for eavesdropping detection. Holder of five U.S. patents. Part-time instructor, World Institute of Security Enhancement, Greensboro, N.C. Author of A Guidebook for the Beginning Sweeper; The Russian Eavesdropping Threat -- Late 1993; The Axnan Attack; and five other books on the subject of countereavesdropping. 

BACKGROUND: Twenty-eight-year CIA veteran, retired 1974. Worked in 50 countries worldwide. Field experience in most types of espionage activity, including mail intercepts, surreptitious entry and electronic eavesdropping. "An operations type ." [audio 118k] 

EDUCATION: Self-taught electrical engineer, government training in clandestine operations. 

MOST INTRIGUING ASSIGNMENT: A few years ago Whidden returned to his former haunt, Moscow, to sweep the offices of a private business. He managed to ferret out a phone line bug, even though he worried -- unnecessarily, as it turned out -- that the eavesdroppers might be onto him. His host, in a misguided attempt at courtesy, had hired for Whidden a Russian driver, the sort who in the old days informed on tourists for the KGB. 

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/washingtonpost/obituary.aspx?n=glenn-whidden&pid=154813010

GLENN WHIDDEN (Age 83) 

Of Fort Washington, MD died November 24, 2011 after a short illness. He is survived by his wife Natalie; three sons Mark, David, and Thomas; and numerous grandchildren. He will be buried in Manchester, NH in a private family service. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Maryland Society, Sons of the American Revolution, c/o Barrett McKown, Treasurer; 3580 S River Terr; Edgewater, MD 21037.

Published in The Washington Post on November 29, 2011

Rest in Peace, my friend...~JDL

SpearTip's Counterespionage Expert Warns of Emerging Cyber Threats to Private Industry

prweb.com

Former U.S. Counterintelligence Agent Jarrett Kolthoff keynotes conference of counterespionage practitioners and technologists.

St. Louis, Missouri (PRWEB) September 27, 2011

Espionage Research Institute (“ERI”) Conference – This year’s keynote speaker was Jarrett Kolthoff, a former U.S. Counterintelligence Agent, now CEO of cyber counterespionage firm SpearTip. Kolthoff provided valuable insights into recent and emerging domestic and foreign cyber espionage threats. Kolthoff was recognized with a plaque presented by ERI President, former CIA officer, Glenn Whidden.

SpearTip’s Kolthoff described a number of “incidents” he has dealt with for his Fortune 100 and other national and international clients to emphasize the increasing prevalence of internet-based surveillance techniques, cyber espionage, malware, APT (Advanced Persistent Threats) that requires his team to learn and adapt constantly to the ever-changing playing field.

Whidden created ERI in an effort to bring together Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (“TSCM”) specialists, security practitioners, businessmen and corporate security executives to share information about hostile global espionage targeting business and industry.

Additionally, Kolthoff sees more and more corporate espionage by departing employees electronically transferring large amounts of competitively sensitive company data. The ease with which such data can be copied and transported requires far higher levels of vigilance by company executives. According to Kolthoff, it is not a matter of “if” data theft will occur, but what the company is prepared to do in mitigation of such losses “when” a company discovers that it has already been breached.

Kolthoff notes that threats exist for enterprises of all types and sizes, from governmental to non-profits to low tech service providers, in addition to obvious targets such as technology driven multinationals. No matter the organization, corporate espionage and cyber warfare are not simply on the doorstep – they are already a dramatic reality.

More...

Espionage Research Institute (ERI) 2011 Conference

Espionage Research Institute (ERI) 2011 Conference

The 2011 ERI Conference brought together a group of leading edge counterintelligence practitioners that respond to crisis situations and espionage incidents from both foreign and domestic threats.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sept 18, 2011 - The 2011 ERI Conference brought a group of these counterespionage agents out of the shadows for a brief moment to share information with their brethren. The threats levied against corporations from either electronic surveillance (bugs) or the latest threats from malware (Advance Persistent Threats) require these specialists to keep abreast of the latest threats. Adhering to ERI’s motto: "The Biggest Mistake That We Can Make Would Be To Miss The Changes", and their membership meets annually to ensure they remain aware of the changes in the espionage industry and can effectively detect threats.

This year’s keynote address from Jarrett Kolthoff, CEO – SpearTip, a former U.S. Counterintelligence Agent, addressed the threats levied against corporations from both foreign and domestic competitors. Mr. Kolthoff provided insight on how many corporations are responding to these incidents and are holding the rogue employee and/or competitor accountable for their actions.

Other presenters at the conference brought some of their latest technology, such as the OSCOR GREEN from Research Electronics International (REI) The OSCOR Green was designed for commercial applications to detect illicit eavesdropping signals, perform site surveys for communications systems, conduct radio frequency (RF) emissions analysis, and investigate misuse of the RF spectrum.

AIR Patrol Corp, shared their latest in cellular detection technology.

Global TSCM Corp brought their latest technology and gave a TSCM products demo.

Professional Development TSCM Group Inc., presented on the Kestrel TSCM ^TM Professional Software a Canadian designed and developed TSCM total RF collection and analysis solution; scalable to address all operational threat levels.

Walleye Technologies, Inc. presented their new portable microwave imaging device for a wide variety of applications that require handheld imaging and microwave capabilities.

Other notable presentations from ERI members and TSCM Specialists included:

"The Future of TSCM" by Steve Whitehead, of Eavesdropping Detection Solutions. Gauteng, South Africa.

"GSM & Hybird Cellular Threats" by Jason Dibley & James Williams of QCC Interscan Ltd. London UK.

"TSCM" Inside Out" by Julian Claxton of Jayde Consulting Pty Ltd. Sydney, Australia

"Computer Security" by Dr. Gordon Mitchell of Future Focus, Inc. Washington State. USA.

"TSCM Challenges Today" by Ed Steinmetz of Steinmetz Associates. Philadelphia, Penn.

"Power Line Analysis using a SDR" by Michael Dever of Dever Clark & Associates of Canberra, Australia.

"Security Podcast Resources and building a network VoIP Tap" by Charles Patterson of Patterson Communications. Tarrytown, NY.

Glenn Whidden, President of ERI and a former CIA officer, created ERI in an effort to bring together TSCM specialists, security practitioners, businessmen and corporate security executives to share information about hostile global espionage activity directed against business and industry. This year’s event was chaired by J.D. LeaSure, President/CEO of ComSec LLC, which resulted in another tremendous success in bringing together this international consortium of "spy hunters". J.D. will also Chair next year’s event at ERI's Annual Membership Conference (To Be Announced). The conference will continue to highlight current and emerging threats, detection methods and effective countermeasures.

Each year, U.S. businesses lose billions of dollars to Corporate Espionage, Industrial Espionage and Economic Espionage. ERI's membership consists of a small, exclusive group of global Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) and Cyber Counterintelligence experts whose private businesses are tasked with detecting and neutralizing the threats against your corporation.

For more information please contact ERI Conference chairman, J. D. LeaSure at: jd.leasure@espionageresearchinstitute.org or Ph: 703-910-3330

The Espionage Research Institute is dedicated to collecting and promulgating information on hostile espionage activity, which is done through the process of accepting, screening and editing reports of hostile activity as they are received from ERI Associates and its Advisors.

http://www.espionageresearchinstitute.org