Counter Surveillance Tradecraft with Clint Emerson

Former Navy SEAL and CIA operative Clint Emerson, author of 100 Deadly Skills talks through the basics of keeping track of who’s keeping track of you—especially overseas.

Maybe a couple of decades ago you’d be labeled insane if you started insisting you were being watched. That the government was tracking you. That the walls have ears. That you have the compulsion to buy multiple copies of The Catcher in the Rye. Etc.

Nowadays, though, it’s not conspiracy theory. It’s conspiracy fact. It no longer requires real-time human monitoring to keep an eye on us. We pretty much do a large part of the job for big brother with the phones we carry and the devices we have in our homes. So, yay for that.

Of course, the majority of that SIGINT, at least in real time, is being compiled so that Amazon knows how to target you. You and I (John Lovell) probably aren’t being watched or listened to on a regular basis by a room full of Russians preparing for a raid to disappear us to the Gulag.

Overseas, though, where a Westerner stands out like a bleeding thumb and where certain actors would love to rob or exploit us if they could, it might be wise to assume that Rockwell was right. I spoke with Clint Emerson about this, especially when it comes to international travel, and he offered some practices and devices that could come in handy to protect yourself, your team, and your family.

Counter-Surveillance Tip #1: Assume You're Being Watched

This is not to reinforce some pre-existing paranoia or self importance. Rather, Clint stressed the ease with which people can now monitor travelers without a lot of expense or manpower. And they can do it now without much risk of detection.

Cameras are much smaller and cheaper. They can run on battery and operate in low-light situations. Mobile phone monitoring can be done automatically by foreign governments (and others) with access to tower pings monitored by local mobile companies in the countries where you land.

Of course, if you have solid local contacts at your destination and they can provide you with reliable transportation and accommodations along with support from embassy and government officials, then you reduce the chances of bad players using the SIGINT against you.

Regardless, though, it's kind of wise to assume you're being watched, especially in transition areas (hallways, elevators, lobbies) and while en route throughout the community or city. But there's a chance you're also being monitored in the "privacy" of your hotel or rental.

Assuming you're being tracked, don't do anything that could be deemed suspicious. Don't do anything you don't want to see on camera. Don't say anything that could raise red flags. And don't act like you know you're being watched. Feign naiveté but not stupidity.

Related Posts | Interview with Clint Emerson • Travel Safety Tips • Situational Awareness 101

Counter-Surveillance Tip #2: Reduce Your Digital Footprint

The minute you land anywhere, your mobile device pings a local tower and the monitoring systems peg you as a foreigner. It'll list you as an American. Depending on who's watching, this can be a harmless blip of data or a lucrative piece of information. Chances are you're not in any danger. But Clint's personal policy is, why chance it?

"Even if your phone is in airplane, even if it's off, even if the battery is dead, your phone is still communicating behind the scenes. It's still trackable. It's your number one vulnerability."

Use a Travel Phone and a Faraday Cage. I mean. Don't literally bring your Faraday cage. But sort of. Clint brings a "drop phone" with him on most international travel. He bought it overseas. He can switch out the SIM card to give it a local number. At the very least, using a foreign-bought phone with a local SIM card creates ambiguity for the monitoring systems. And regarding your everyday phone, either leave it at home all together or pack it with you in a Faraday bag of sorts.

Use a Reliable VPN Service. When connecting with your computer or with your phone to a local wireless or wifi network, a trustworthy VPN service can help anonymize your presence and block unwanted intrusions into your digital space and data. Here's a retro WPSN video on this very subject. There are also a number of apps and desktop applications you can deploy that provide further privacy when accessing the world wide web in new and strange places. Hackers are hard workers, and nowadays they're not necessarily people.

Always Keep Your Devices Close. If you have a device, always keep it with you. Leaving a phone or computer behind in a hotel room or anywhere opens up the opportunity for thieves looking to make a buck. More profound though is the risk of a hacker gaining control of your devices and accounts--sometimes in a matter of seconds if they know what they're doing.

Counter Surveillance Tip #3: Check Private Areas for Potential Surveillance

Different countries and provinces within them have varying degrees of privacy protection and enforcement. And of course depending on the motive and nature of the people trying to track foreigners, they may or may not care about the legal issues surrounding surveillance. So it's important to remember that you're possibly being watched, even in your hotel room. 

There are some tell-tale signs and typical placements of surveillance, such as the smart tv, power sockets, light sockets, etc. These are used because they provide a ready source of power for the surveillance device. But as Clint reminded us, devices with lenses and sensors the sizes of pen heads can be installed, operated in very low light, and run on a battery for days and weeks without changing. 

Any potential trouble areas in your private space can be blacked out with a bit of tape, cloth, etc. It's not a foolproof method, but it's a first step.

Counter Surveillance Tip #4: Vehicle Transponders, AirTags, Etc.

It's easier than ever to drop trackers inside bags and vehicles. Usually these trackers will let you know they're nearby with an alert to your phone, but it's not always the case. As with any of this counter surveillance advice, the point is not paranoia or to plug each and every potential surveillance hole. 

Rather, it's just important to be aware of the advent and evolution of technology that could be used against you if you're in the wrong place, wrong time, and have drawn the attention of the wrong kind of people.

Counter Surveillance Tip #5: Do Your Own Surveillance

In addition to the traditional counter surveillance tradecraft (circuitous routes to a destination in order to learn whether you're being followed, general situational awareness to pick up on patterns and unusual behavior, etc.), it's easier and cheaper than ever to perform your own surveillance. So, just as bad actors in poor countries can do some pretty savvy stuff at low cost, you can, too. So, if you're concerned about surveillance and snooping, set up your own surveillance inside your room, etc.

And just remember. Most people are not out to get you. Common sense goes a long way. And so will your training.

Train Hard. Train Smart. Live Free.