Insights Archives

Knowledge Base at one: A retrospective

Posted on August 31, 2022August 30, 2022 by Admin Admin

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September 2021

Deepfakes: 2021 Report

Author: Graeme McGowan, Cyber Risk & Security Consultant
First published: 28^th September 2021

Cyber criminals are constantly discovering new ways of successfully duping unsuspecting individuals into handing over their money. As a result, recent years have seen a huge increase in the use of ‘deepfakes,’ a type of identity fraud that leverages artificial intelligence to create frighteningly convincing fake images, videos and voice recordings.

Read the Deepfakes: 2021 Report.

This article was also included in our ESA Risk Special Report: The Cyber Threat Landscape 2022, alongside articles on ransomware attacks, threats to mobile devices and the 5G network. Download your copy of the Special Report.

Did Prince Andrew see chalk dust?

Author: Mike Wright, Risk Management and Investigations Consultant
First published: 30^th September 2021

A year ago, process servers attempted to personally serve Prince Andrew with legal documents.

Mike Wright asked the question: was this good service? His article also explains what a process server is and what to do when you need one.

Read ‘Did Prince Andrew see chalk dust?’.

October 2021

Asset tracing: A guide

Author: Mike Wright, Risk Management and Investigations Consultant
First published: 25^th October 2021

Whether you are acting in a personal capacity or on behalf of a business, you may require tracing services to help you recover unpaid debts or find a debtor’s undisclosed assets as part of the debt recovery process.

Read ‘Asset tracing: A guide’.

Charity Fraud Awareness Week

With the aim of raising awareness of and helping to tackle fraud and cyber crime in the not-for-profit and charity sectors, Charity Fraud Awareness Week 2021 ran from 18^th to 22^nd October. We published content in support of the cause through the week on our website and our social media accounts, including the following two articles.

Money laundering and the charity sector

Author: Ali Twidale, Banking and Financial Fraud Consultant
First published: 21^st October 2021

The financial and reputational loss for a charity – or any organisation, for that matter – that can be caused by money laundering is potentially devastating.

The reality for most of the 169,000 registered charities in England and Wales, along with the millions worldwide, is that they often have low levels of security to all the funds they hold and little awareness of good money laundering and financial crime prevention controls.

Read ‘Money laundering and the charity sector’.

Charities: What to do if you suspect fraud

Author: Lloydette Bai-Marrow, Serious Fraud and Economic Crime Consultant
First published: 22^nd October 2021

Guidance from a former principal investigative lawyer with the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) for charities – and businesses from all sectors.

Read ‘Charities: What to do if you suspect fraud’.

November 2021

Beyond security: How access control and CCTV video analytics can generate business intelligence

Author: Liam Doherty, Security Consultant
First published: 4^th November 2021

How do you measure the harms averted from security incidents that didn’t occur due to the deterrent effect of your new and improved security systems?

Without access to a parallel universe in which you didn’t upgrade your systems, you can’t.

Fortunately, modern, network-connected security systems can deliver operational benefits that give security chiefs a powerful argument when it comes to pitching to the boardroom for greater funding.

Read ‘Beyond security’.

Joint Fraud Taskforce: Accountant to play key role in tackling fraud

Author: Ali Twidale, Banking and Financial Fraud Consultant
First published: 9^th November 2021

Accountancy one of three sectors included in the relaunch of the UK Home Office’s Joint Fraud Taskforce.

Read the news story.

December 2021

Sustainable investment is here to stay

Author: Mike Wright, Risk Management and Investigations Consultant
First published: 10^th December 2021

The rise in demand for sustainable investment is driving a reset of the market for responsible investing across Europe.

This article was published soon after COP26.

Read ‘Sustainable investment is here to stay’.

March 2022

Market conditions creating a perfect storm for businesses

Author: Charlie Batho, Financial and Forensic Accounting Consultant
First published: 3^rd March 2022

This article would not look out of place if it was written this week…

The convergence of well-documented issues such as supply chain disruption, high inflation rates, rising fuel prices and interest rates, and the start of the Bounce Back Loan repayment period is creating major cash flow problems for businesses in the UK.

Read ‘Market conditions creating a perfect storm for businesses’.

Superyachts: Tracing a moving target

Author: Mike Wright, Risk Management and Investigations Consultant
First published: 10^th March 2022

With sanctions placed on some Russian organisations and individuals by various states around the world, and reports that some oligarchs had moved their superyachts to avoid having them seized, we looked at the specifics of tracing these high-value assets.

Read ‘Superyachts: Tracing a moving target’.

April 2022

The use of digital forensic tools in insolvency cases

Author: Mike Wright, Risk Management and Investigations Consultant
First published: 27^th April 2022

Digital forensic tools can play a key role in insolvency investigations where wrongdoing is suspected and the potential evidence is in the form of digital data.

Read ‘The use of digital forensic tools in insolvency cases’.

Never miss out

Corporate physical security: Is your organisation in safe hands?

Posted on August 16, 2022November 2, 2022 by Admin Admin

Violent crime, incivility, and public disorder are on the rise.

Office managers are dealing with increased levels of workplace violence as employees return to the office.

At the same time, data theft is increasing, extremism is rising, and people are dealing with an increased number of economic and social issues.

Corporate security threats can come from external and internal sources. Incidents of insider activism and cyber security threats are also increasing.

The solution is a comprehensive corporate physical security strategy that will protect your employees and assets.

This article will examine the importance of business security and how to develop a suitable corporate physical security strategy following current best practice.

Why have a corporate physical security policy?

To keep your business running smoothly, you need to manage potential risks. This will protect your reputation, your customers, and your employees.

No matter the size of your company, you are potentially vulnerable to workplace theft, violence, and property damage. Employee theft costs UK companies around £190 million every year.

Many aspects of how you do business have changed in recent years. Data is kept in the cloud, and employees may be working remotely. However, crucial financial information may still be stored on your premises. If someone gains physical access to this data (just as with a cyber breach), the resulting damage limitation activity is likely to cost you time and money. It also has the potential to weaken trust in your business and to break data protection regulations.

You may think your business security services are sufficient. However, the scope of potential risks is constantly changing. This highlights the need to assess your corporate physical security policy regularly and adapt it when necessary.

You want to ensure you have a security plan which will restrict access to, and control access within, your premises.

The technology with which you can achieve this is constantly changing. It is vital to keep track of the latest security software and hardware, as well as other developments in the security industry, to ensure your business is as secure as possible.

The right corporate physical security strategy will:

Protect you from intruders
Shield you from internal threats
Plan for natural disasters and accidents
Protect networks and data
Deter fraud
Detect crimes
Raise awareness among employees.

Not all companies require the same level of security. Some smaller companies may be able to focus on a few specific issues such as theft, while a larger business will need a full range of business security services.

Either way, introducing an appropriate corporate physical security strategy will ensure your business runs smoothly.

Corporate physical security best practices

A few decades ago, it might have been sufficient to have a single security guard protecting the entrance of your company. For most businesses, this is no longer the case.

There are several components to a successful physical security strategy.

Access control

The first step to protecting your business is to gain control over who enters the premises and how they do so.

This can begin at the entrance to a car park or garage, or at the front door. You can equip employees with unique access control cards or require biometric authorisation to allow them to enter. Biometric control can include fingerprint, voice, facial, or iris recognition. Some technologies now allow employees to use their mobile phones as a form of access control.

Access cards and biometric control can also be used for sensitive locations within your building. This will allow you to choose who is allowed to go where once inside.

Many of these systems log important data about who accessed a particular zone, which you can use to analyse employee and visitor movement.

Experts believe layered authentication systems will provide you with the best security.

To streamline your access control, you should develop a policy to manage visitors to your premises. This can include allowing only prior appointments or having detailed procedures for visitors to sign in on arrival. These steps became commonplace during the Covid pandemic, and many businesses have kept such procedures in place despite restrictions ending.

Visitor passes also allow you to monitor when someone has entered and left the building.

Video surveillance and monitoring

Another vital pillar of your corporate security policy is video surveillance. This will allow you to monitor for any suspicious activity in real time, and record video to detect security breaches, identify perpetrators, and be used as evidence, if required.

There is a wide range of video technology to choose from to suit your business.

Depending on the size and sensitivity of your operation, you may want someone to monitor surveillance footage at all times and to respond to any potential threats (a service we offer alongside 24/7 alarm monitoring and response).

Security systems

Aside from video surveillance, you can install a range of alarms and sensors for business security.

Sensors can detect movement, smoke, or heat. Fires are, of course, a potential risk to people on your business premises, and they can wreak havoc on valuable property and assets. A fire alarm and connected sprinkler system are essential for the safety of your company.

You can install alarm sensors on doors, windows, and other important locations. Alarms have a dual purpose – they may scare off potential intruders, while alerting security services to the threat.

The most important thing to remember is that criminals are more innovative than ever and can employ a range of technology to overcome security systems. Hence, you need to stay on top of the latest innovations to be aware of new risks.

Testing and training

Implementing the correct physical security measures is only the beginning of a good corporate physical security strategy, though.

You need to train your employees to recognise threats and use the security system where necessary. They should be up to date with your best practices and visitor access rules. This training will also show employees you are serious about security and may deter efforts by internal threats to steal data or physical property.

You should also schedule regular drills and tests of your surveillance systems and other security measures, including instructing independent security experts to test the systems you have in place.

Get your corporate physical security risk assessment

You may think your corporate security is iron-clad. However, the risks to businesses are constantly evolving. Staying on top of risk management will protect your bottom line and your employees.

ESA Risk has decades of experience in managing business risks and providing expert solutions.

Arrange your security risk assessment today – contact Liam Doherty, Security Consultant, at liam.doherty@esarisk.com, on +44 (0)343 515 8686 or via our contact form.

Avoid rising theft with a caravan tracking device

Posted on July 13, 2022July 8, 2022 by Admin Admin

Unfortunately, an increase in demand has led to a rise in caravan theft in the UK.

You can protect your caravan in the UK and abroad by installing caravan tracking devices and by following a few basic steps. Keep reading to learn the best way to keep your caravan safe and keep enjoying the great outdoors.

Lock your entrances

Would-be thieves always check the easiest access points first. So, if you leave doors or windows unlocked, a thief will find the access point. Furthermore, you may compromise your insurance coverage if you don’t secure your doors.

Check all the door and window locks to make sure they’re functioning properly as well. Look for aftermarket locks to secure your caravan, which may be more effective than the standard fitted locks.

Lock your hitch and your wheels

When you tow a caravan, you should have a hitch lock. This lock prevents others from just hooking up your caravan and towing it away.

Furthermore, your insurance policy will often require a secure hitch lock. If someone steals your caravan and you do not have a hitch lock, your insurance company may not cover your losses.

If you do have a hitch lock, make sure it is secure. Always reattach the lock after you’ve both hitched and unhitched. When you’re preparing for a trip, you will have a dozen things on your mind, so it’s easy to forget this one step.

You can purchase a wheel clamp which locks the wheels of your caravan. If someone can bypass your hitch lock, the wheels will still not roll because of the wheel clamp.

Purchase an alarm

Because of the growing popularity of caravans, the caravan industry along with the home security industry has come up with some creative solutions for caravan theft. For example, you can purchase an alarm that has an internal motion sensor. The alarm is triggered when it detects a tilt.

Caravan alarms mimic home and car alarms. The more sophisticated the alarm, the more it will deter thieves.

Install caravan tracking devices

A GPS tracking device for a caravan takes caravan security to a new level. The tracking device will allow you to pinpoint the location of your caravan through the tracker’s online dashboard.

Higher-tech trackers come with an alert that will go off when the application detects caravan movement outside of a set geographical boundary. If someone attempts to steal your caravan, you’ll receive a notification that something suspicious is happening.

At this point, you can contact the authorities to let them know someone is moving your caravan without your permission.

Not only will the tracker let you know someone is moving your caravan, but it increases the chances that you’ll recover the caravan if someone takes it.

If you have a caravan GPS tracking device installed, you can put a sticker in your caravan window telling thieves you have a tracker to discourage them from taking your vehicle.

Store smart

Keep your caravan somewhere secure when you’re not using it.

If you have a touring caravan, you can best secure it by locking it to a security post at your home. Park it with the nose against your home, so thieves cannot back up and take it easily.

Empty the caravan of all your valuables, so if someone does break into it, they won’t have anything to steal. Keep the curtains of the caravan open, so that would-be thieves can see that there’s nothing to take.

Mark your caravan discreetly

A proper marking won’t prevent thieves from taking your caravan, but it will increase your chances of recovering the caravan if someone takes it.

A VIN chip kit will allow the police to identify you as your caravan’s owner when they recover it. The VIN chip will have markings that contain the unique CRiS or Central Registration and Identification Scheme number.

If your caravan was manufactured after 2016, it already has a VIN chip. However, if you have an older model, you should order and install a VIN chip. As with a GPS tracker, let potential thieves know you have a marking on your caravan by putting stickers in the window.

Such stickers protect your caravan and tell thieves your vehicle isn’t worth their time to steal. You will recover it, and they will pay for your stolen caravan.

Enjoy the great outdoors in peace

A caravan allows you to see the world in a whole new way. You can live in the places you love, and you can enjoy the great outdoors. But a caravan is essentially a home on wheels and, because of its mobility, it’s obviously more susceptible to theft than a traditional home.

Hence the importance of proper security and protection. Secure your caravan, lock the doors, and consider adding a caravan tracking device and discreet markings. Such technology will likely prevent thieves from taking your caravan, will make your vehicle easier to recover if it is stolen, and will give you peace of mind.

Security solutions from ESA Risk

Alongside the Prime 3G GPS Tracker – a high-end, discreet and effective GPS tracking device for a caravan – which is available to purchase from our online store, we offer various security services including security risk assessments for private and corporate clients.

Our experienced consultants can give advice on and install practical security solutions including GPS trackers, overt and covert cameras, alarm systems and more. We also provide manned security services.

Contact Liam Doherty, Security Consultant, at liam.doherty@esarisk.com, on +44 (0)343 515 8686 or via our contact form to learn more.

Know Your Customer: An investigative approach

Posted on June 30, 2022June 27, 2022 by Admin Admin

The cause? These businesses allegedly violated UK social responsibility and anti-money laundering laws.

Anti-money laundering (AML) laws regulate a wide range of institutions in addition to casinos.

The laws aim to prevent illegal financial activity by mandating security measures – including the automatic investigation of agents involved in transactions with high money laundering potential.

One of these mandates is the ‘Know Your Customer’ or ‘KYC’ standard.

But what is Know Your Customer?

Know Your Customer (KYC) is a standard set of procedures designed to mitigate legal risks through investigation. In this guide, discover what KYC is in detail, how it works, and how effective KYC compliance can empower your organisation.

KYC: Know Your Customer (overview)

It is difficult to overstate the importance of KYC. It is a standard enshrined both in law and in the financial industry. It enables effective measurement of risk tolerance, financial position, and investment knowledge.

All of this should inform a financial advisor’s investment strategy for a given client – and whether it’s wise to take that person (or organisation) on as a client at all.

What does KYC mean?

KYC is an initialism that stands for ‘Know Your Customer’. The KYC standard outlines a set of processes and procedures applicable institutions must comply with.

These processes share the aim of developing a complete profile of an individual or institution trying to invest or transfer significant monetary sums.

What is the purpose of KYC?

The immediate purpose of KYC procedures is the development of a profile of high-risk customers.

It sets parameters for additional verification of high-risk individuals as they become clients of financial institutions. It also requires the verification of any beneficial owners of properties, businesses or organisations in their role as clients.

This profile is a tool to keep track of high-risk individuals, so law enforcement can effectively prevent money laundering, bribery and financial crimes against the state.

The risks KYC works to mitigate are potential threats to the individual, community and state. These are the risks that a financial transaction:

may facilitate crime.
may illegally disguise offshore accounts to evade taxation.
may subvert legal or democratic processes through bribery.

Who is most affected by KYC regulations?

In the UK, anti-money laundering (AML) and anti-bribery laws primarily target those whose wealth, power or status makes them more likely to engage in illegal financial transactions. Those most affected include:

High-value customers (HVCs)
Politically exposed persons (PEPs)
People with significant control (PSCs) of companies.

An HVC is a client whose account makes a significant impact on a company’s bottom line. A PEP is someone entrusted with public office or someone who serves a public function.

A PSC is someone who owns and controls a company or organisation. People with significant control must be registered with the PSC database in the United Kingdom.

What does ‘enhanced due diligence’ mean in the context of KYC?

Enhanced due diligence, or EDD, is a detailed risk assessment of a customer. The results of the risk assessment are compiled into a report. Know Your Customer analysts perform these assessments and write these reports.

Which industries must comply with Know Your Customer regulations?

In any industry where significant monetary transactions are commonplace, there’s a greater risk of money laundering and financial crimes. Organisations that must comply with UK KYC regulations include:

Financial institutions
Real estate agencies
Payment processing companies
Gaming and gambling spaces
Solicitors and law firms
High-value dealers (auctioneers, etc.).

KYC standards are also built into other regulations and laws.

For example, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the UK and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US require pharmaceutical manufacturers to maintain current good manufacturing practices (CGMPs), which incorporate KYC processes.

What do Know Your Customer checks entail?

There are four aspects of Know Your Customer assessments. These are:

Corporate document investigation
Identity evaluation
Strategic intelligence-gathering
Analysis and reporting.

The specific requirements and procedures for each element vary by the nature and nationality of the customer in question.

Investigate corporate financial and legal documentation

A KYC check will examine certain legal documents for veracity and consistency. The Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government published guidance on the KYC standard – as applied to corporate and organisational clients – in 2016.

It notes the necessary and acceptable documents for verification, which differ for UK-based companies and non-UK companies.

Evaluate proof of identity (individual)

KYC assessments verify identity with ID documents. These can include:

Full UK passport that has the machine-readable zone
Full photo card driving licence
Photo card (national identity card) that has the machine-readable zone.

Strategies

Know Your Customer analysts use a range of strategies to gather information. They also utilise computing and software tools to aid investigations into customer risk and potential money laundering.

These tools can be open-source intelligence-gathering programmes. Or, they might be sophisticated data analytics tools.

Today, KYC analysts can even perform due diligence extensively by searching the dark web. These searches are powered by machine learning algorithms that recognise patterns of behaviour.

How does a Know Your Customer analyst enhance due diligence?

A Know Your Customer analyst enhances due diligence throughout the life of the customer-institution relationship. Applicable organisations typically standardise reviews of all new customer accounts, to ensure KYC compliance.

Analysts also periodically re-evaluate high-risk accounts. This involves compiling a list of transactions, and then analysing associated risk factors, which include:

Analysis of unexpected activities.
Verification of the source of funds.
Verification of use of funds.
Identification and assessment of risks inherent to:
- Products and services
- All entities involved in the transaction
- Geographic location.

Finally, KYC analysts observe and record trends in customer behaviour, and they investigate notably suspicious activity. Analysis of customer behaviour factors in general market trends, and a KYC analyst will note those.

Know Your Customer risk and compliance analysis

An organisation may hire a KYC analyst to assess its own risk of KYC non-compliance. The analyst may evaluate on organisation’s policies, security, and new customer processes.

Then, the analyst can compile a report. This can empower an organisation to develop thorough risk-mitigation and security processes. KYC risk reports can facilitate an investigation, and some – though certainly not all – are available to the public.

Protect your organisation with KYC

Ultimately, Know Your Customer checks keep financial institutions, high-value dealers and other agents involved in large-scale monetary transactions safer. KYC checks keep companies legal, and they protect our communities from dangerous, illegal activities.

One of the best routes to KYC is enhanced due diligence. If your organisation needs a thorough way to mitigate risks imposed by customers, use EDD services created by experts.

To find out more about ESA Risk’s Enhanced Due Diligence services, please contact Mike Wright, Risk Management and Investigations Consultant, at mike.wright@esarisk.com, on +44 (0)343 515 8686 or via our contact form. You can also find more information on our Enhanced Due Diligence page.

Lone worker security: Six types of lone worker security devices

Posted on June 16, 2022June 14, 2022 by Admin Admin

You can keep your workers safe with proper training as well as lone worker security devices. Such devices can tell you your employee’s location or send a warning signal when your employee has suffered an impact or stopped moving for a given period of time.

Keep reading to learn about six types of lone worker security devices that will keep your employees safe.

What is a lone worker?

Anyone working out of reach of supervisors or colleagues qualifies as a lone worker.

Being a lone worker does not always mean the employee is alone. It just means others cannot see or hear them. Thus, individuals working on the same job site as others but out of sight would qualify as lone workers. Here are a few other potential lone workers:

Workers who work alone while others take a break
Single employees working late
Employees working away from other employees but still in public or populated places
Employees travelling alone for business
Employees working from home.

Lone workers can be construction workers on a job site working alone, healthcare workers caring for patients at home, and social workers conducting home visits alone. They could also be someone working alone at the office after everyone else has gone home.

Working alone leaves an employee vulnerable. Plus, the law dictates that all businesses must adequately protect their lone workers. Here are a few of the ways you can maximise your lone workers’ safety.

1. Lone Worker Apps

Technology and smartphones have boosted the world of security for lone workers. Smartphone lone worker apps can give employers real-time information about an employee’s location and wellbeing.

For example, some apps have safety features like a ‘man-down’ alert or panic alarm. They can also include a timed check-in and discreet panic function.

Some of the newer smartphone apps connect to a Cloud-based monitoring hub that gives employers real-time updates. They can see, at a glance, where their employee is and if they’re relatively safe.

2. GPS tracker

GPS trackers also provide personal security for lone workers. These security devices give employers real-time information on their employees’ locations without compromising the privacy of a smartphone.

For example, the Prime 3G GPS tracker has a powerful, reliable tracking device that you can use for vehicle tracking, on high-risk / high-value assets in transit, or for lone worker security.

When a lone worker uses the tracker, they can alert up to three different people by SMS with the device’s SOS button.

A ‘geo-fence’ can also be defined around a specific geographical area, triggering an alert when the device leaves that area.

3. Panic alarm

If you don’t opt for the savvier trackers, a more simple security system for a lone worker is a panic alarm. Your workers will have personal security knowing they can push the panic alarm publicly or discreetly should they need to.

The panic alarm is especially helpful when your lone worker feels like they’re in a potentially dangerous situation and needs assistance. A discreet alarm works especially well when a lone worker feels threatened by someone and does not want to alert that person to the fact that help has been called.

4. Non-movement alarm

A non-movement alarm will sound after your employee has stopped moving for a given amount of time.

The lone worker device will detect accidents and medical emergencies in which the worker cannot hit a panic button.

5. Impact detection

Some man-down alarms will also have impact detection. This means the alarm will sound not only when the worker isn’t moving but also when the device sustains an impact.

If your worker is in an accident or falls from a height and cannot activate the panic alarm, the impact detection alarm will be triggered.

6. Training and communication

You can best prepare your lone workers for the dangers they may face by giving them adequate training regarding safety protocols. Train your lone workers in every possible scenario.

Implement a protocol where workers report near misses, as well. These are situations where individuals come close to having an accident, even when following current procedures. A near-miss report will give you the data necessary to review and revise current procedures and keep your lone workers safe.

Risk assessments for lone workers are essential. For example, social workers who enter homes alone should be able to identify red flags for potential risks. This type of basic risk assessment will ultimately keep your lone workers safer.

Lone worker security made simple

Proper devices, training and protocols will help you maintain lone worker security in your business.

For advice and support relating to lone worker security, risk assessments and suitable devices, contact us at advice@esarisk.com, on +44 (0)343 515 8686 or via our contact form.

The road from risk management to resilience in the age of crisis

Posted on May 31, 2022February 6, 2023 by Admin Admin

Broadly speaking, risk management is about identifying, evaluating and mitigating risks to reduce the likelihood and impact of those risks being realised.

Resilience is also about handling risk, but focuses instead on maintaining business continuity amid adverse events, bolstering an organisation’s ability to rapidly adapt to disruptions, and protecting its people, assets and reputation.

Resilience First, a non-profit founded in 2018 to foster greater business resilience across UK industry and critical infrastructure, has therefore described risk and resilience as “opposite sides of the same coin”.

Both concepts remain fundamental to enterprise strategy, but operational resilience in particular has grown more important in an increasingly unpredictable world where businesses have in recent years been hit by a series of unforeseen dislocations.

Risks motivating the rush to resilience

Threats include growing geopolitical instability, with the ongoing war in Ukraine demonstrating the risks of operating in authoritarian or politically unstable jurisdictions.

Brexit and the rise of populist leaders in several countries, meanwhile, have both threatened to make the trading environment less hospitable through protectionism, trading barriers and immigration restrictions.

And Covid-19 forced organisations, almost overnight, to enable their workforce to work from home and adapt to severe restrictions, such as the food service sector’s sudden reliance on food delivery. The pandemic is still disrupting supply chains and causing industry to question the wisdom of globalisation and the just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing model.

Other threats include rampant inflation, cyber attacks, rapid digitisation and the worsening climate crisis.

The merits of business resilience

In a Resilience First webinar on the topic, Lord Toby Harris has said risk assessments alone leave organisations unprepared “for not only the ‘black swan’ event (previously unobserved, hard to predict, high-impact) but also those ‘black jellyfish’ (known but more complex that may have a sting) and ‘black elephants’ (known and in plain sight but with which no one wants to deal)”.

While risk assessments often centre on a small number of easily understood risks, resilience offers a holistic approach involving scanning the horizon for a variety of threats and modelling crisis scenarios against which to stress-test an organisation.

Far from merely mitigating risk, resilience can therefore inform strategic thinking and give birth to business models more suited to volatile environments.

Barriers to resilience

There’s sometimes a tension between instilling organisational resilience and the imperative to build value and revenues. For instance, abandoning JIT models and building redundancy in supply chains can foster strategic resilience but higher costs are surely unavoidable.

Another barrier to embedding and maintaining operational resilience relates to human psychology. With disruptive crises being rare, it’s all too easy for leaders to lapse into complacency as short-term operational goals consume organisational focus. Moreover, crises typically trigger changes after the fact that mitigate a recurrence of similar adverse events, whereas it’s harder to argue for investments geared to preventing perhaps similarly likely, but more novel, outcomes.

Like many business objectives, achieving resilience is also undermined by business units operating in silos, as well as a lack of collaboration between government, industry and other stakeholders. This is where organisations like the Resilience Rising consortium, which brings organisations including Resilience First and communities together to promote resilience and share best practices, can come in useful. They can help stakeholders solve complex challenges that are difficult to solve on their own.

Finally, as with ESG reporting, targeting strategic resilience is undermined by a lack of universal frameworks for measuring performance quantitatively.

The route to business resilience

The Business Continuity Institute recently predicted that cyber attacks, natural disasters, the mental health crisis and – fuelled by ongoing Covid-19 restrictions in China in particular – supply chain disruptions including a global computer chip shortage, will pose the biggest challenges to strategic resilience in the coming months.

Bolstering your organisation against such threats is an undertaking that encompasses people, processes and technology. Organisations must evolve their culture, training, practices, business models and technical infrastructure accordingly.

Resilience must be organisation-wide, underpinning strategic decisions around risk, finance, operations, technology, human resources, product development and so on.

To give one example, technological and operational resilience was tested by the sudden need to equip employees to work from home at the outset of the pandemic.

Experts advise enterprises to consider not just the immediate impacts of crises but consequences further downstream, too.

It’s also important not to merely ‘fight the last war’ – to prepare for novel or long-forgotten threats as well as recurrences of recent crises.

Covid-19 offers a salutary lesson here. While the pandemic took businesses by surprise it was foreseeable – pandemics are guaranteed to happen, however rarely.

Resilience First also talks of moving beyond a “traditional linear approach to risk management” to a resilience management model that focuses on “preparing for the consequences of dangers in a generic sense rather than the causes of specific dangers which we cannot foretell”.

And, as well as preparing for these “generic dangers”, businesses must have early-warning systems in place to spot their initial signs.

Build your operational resilience

For advice and support on business resilience strategy, contact Mike Wright, Risk Management Consultant at mike.wright@esarisk.com, on +44 (0)343 515 8686 or via our contact form.

What to look for in a litigation support company

Posted on May 18, 2022November 25, 2024 by Admin Admin

Picking the right legal litigation support company can make the difference between success or failure for you and your client.

Litigation support companies provide a wide variety of services in and out of the courtroom. Hiring a company with experience will allow you to leverage their knowledge while making the most of your time.

Read on to learn how a litigation support company can play a crucial role in handling disputes.

Experience matters

Litigation support services companies are essential to helping you prepare a winning case. Their services are so important that you must find a company with experience in the industry.

A business with the right experience will know how the courts operate in the relevant jurisdiction. They will have professional relationships with others in the field, sometimes including court staff. You can leverage the benefits of these relationships throughout your litigation matter.

Focus on your file

Avoid working with a company that has experience but will not keep its focus on your file. The best support service companies will have a large amount of business. They should not sacrifice quality for quantity.

Speak with prospective litigation support companies about how they will make your file a priority. You need assurances that they have the staff in place to fulfil your demands. They must also do it on a time-sensitive basis.

Offer a wide variety of services

Practising law in the litigation field is a high-stakes area of the law where time is of the essence. The easier things are for you and your staff as you prepare during litigation, the more efficient you can be with your time.

Support companies should also help relieve stress and anxiety for your law firm. This goes for whether you are working with the company for a series of depositions, an arbitration, or a courtroom dispute.

Litigation support businesses can help you prepare large amounts of information for presentation to a judge or jury.

You should find one with a wide variety of services they do well.

Finding one company that offers all the services you need makes for a more efficient process and avoids the need to source and onboard multiple suppliers.

You will learn what to expect from a company that you work with over the course of different cases, and they will learn how they can best support you.

Asset tracing

An important part of the litigation process is learning whether a prospective defendant has assets that your client can recover. Even the strongest case may not be one worth taking on if your client has an unrealistic chance of future asset recovery.

Asset tracing is a process by which a litigation support company tracks down recoverable assets. This can include cash, shares, real estate, and other valuable property that a prospective defendant owns. Learning about a potential defendant’s asset profile before moving to litigation will help you and your client gauge whether a case makes financial sense.

A good litigation support company will be able to help with freezing assets and asset recovery, too.

e-Discovery

Most individuals and businesses operate in a digital environment. This can make e-discovery a major part of a litigation matter.

Selecting a litigation support company that has the tools and knowledge to correctly identify, collect and host electronically stored information can be crucial.

Tracing and process serving

Service of process can be a challenging aspect of litigation. Defendants and witnesses may go so far as to conceal their whereabouts to avoid being a part of your case.

A good litigation support company will have the expertise and resources to both trace and serve subjects legally.

Communication counts

In today’s fast-paced legal world, time is money for all parties involved. The digital world makes it easier to communicate with people around the world than ever before.

Despite the advances in technology, not all litigation support firms are equal in this aspect. You should find one that communicates in a way that is the best fit for you and your staff.

Instruct a litigation support company today

At ESA Risk, we provide a wide variety of litigation support services, including people and asset tracing, process serving, digital forensics (e-discovery) and surveillance.

For further details of these services or to instruct us on a matter, contact Mike Wright, Investigations and Risk Management Consultant, at mike.wright@esarisk.com, on +44 (0)343 515 8686, or via our contact form.

The different ways to use a car security GPS tracker

Posted on May 12, 2022May 12, 2022 by Admin Admin

In 2021, the GPS device industry was valued at $1.78 billion globally. That figure is expected to climb to $4.93 billion by 2028.

GPS stands for Global Positioning System, and it’s a system of satellites that transmit signals that allow us to determine our precise location on Earth. GPS is used in various industries, including transportation, navigation, and surveying.

GPS security tracking is one of the most popular uses for GPS today. But exactly how do people use a car security GPS tracker? Here are the six top ways.

Keeping track of your car

Many cars in the UK come with a car security GPS tracker fitted as standard. This is not surprising when you consider the many benefits of GPS security trackers.

GPS trackers help deter thieves by making it easier for the police to locate stolen vehicles. With almost 48,500 vehicles stolen in the UK in 2021 alone, it’s easy to see why trackers are so important.

They can also help owners keep tabs on their car’s whereabouts, which can be particularly useful if you share a car with other family members or if your vehicle is used for business purposes.

In addition, a GPS security tracker for your car offers real-time tracking, meaning you can see exactly where your vehicle is at any given moment. This can be invaluable if your car is involved in an accident or if it breaks down and you need to send out a recovery vehicle.

Tracking cargo during shipping

One of the common ways to use a GPS security tracker is to track high-value cargo during transport. The tracker provides real-time updates on the location of the cargo, so shippers can be confident that their goods are safe and on schedule.

A GPS security tracker can also help prevent theft by deterring would-be criminals and helping law enforcement quickly recover stolen goods.

In addition, some trackers can be used to monitor conditions inside the shipping container, ensuring that delicate items are not damaged in transit.

Keeping track of your children or pets

Have you ever lost track of your kids in a shop or at the park? It’s every parent’s nightmare. That’s why one of the increasingly common GPS security tracker uses is tracking the whereabouts of young children.

Just attach the tracker to their backpack or coat, and you can monitor their location in real-time using your phone. If they ever get lost, you can quickly find them and bring them home safely.

GPS security trackers are also great for keeping tabs on pets. Whether your cat likes to roam around the neighbourhood or you’re worried about your dog getting lost on a hike, a tracker can give you peace of mind.

Plus, if your pet ever does go missing, you can use the tracker to find them quickly.

During hiking or running

GPS security trackers have quickly become one of the most popular tools for hikers and runners everywhere.

When you’re out on a hike or a run through the countryside, it can be difficult to maintain your bearings and stay on track. That’s where a GPS security tracker comes in.

This piece of equipment helps you always know where you are. In addition, a tracker can provide real-time data on your speed and direction, allowing you to make adjustments as needed.

Whether you’re exploring new terrain or simply taking a weekend jog, these powerful accessories can help keep you safe and ensure that you don’t get lost on your adventures.

Navigation when travelling in a new city or country

Navigating a new city or country can be overwhelming. A GPS security tracker can make it easier for you to find your way around unfamiliar streets and neighbourhoods.

A device that provides real-time location data can help you get from point A to point B seamlessly.

As part of a security system to monitor your property

A security system is only as good as its weakest link. But what happens when that weak link is your property itself? How can you be sure your property is safe when you’re not there to watch over it?

The answer may lie in GPS security trackers.

By tracking the location of your valuables, you can rest assured that they are where they’re supposed to be. And if they’re not, you can take steps to recover them before it’s too late. This is a big part of efficient risk management.

Make the most of your car security GPS tracker

Whether you’re looking to keep your belongings safe, monitor your kids or pets, or track your vehicle, there are many different ways to use a car security GPS tracker.

We offer a bespoke GPS security tracker – the Prime 3G GPS Tracker – which can be put to use in a number of different situations.

The use of digital forensic tools in insolvency cases

Posted on April 27, 2022November 2, 2022 by Admin Admin

What is digital forensics?

Digital forensics is a branch of forensics science. It focuses on the recovery and investigation of data stored electronically.

Digital forensics uses specialised tools for data collection and analysis. ‘Computer forensics’ was an earlier name for digital forensics. The term ‘digital forensics’ reflects the fact that many different types of device can store digital data. Sources of digital data include:

Computer hard drives
Servers
Online or cloud-based sources like Google Workplace and Microsoft 365
Mobile phones
Social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The most common context for digital forensics is to provide evidence in a court of law. Digital forensics professionals must handle digital evidence in a very specific way, otherwise, the court won’t accept it.

Steps in the digital forensics process

The digital forensics process has five steps. Following this procedure helps ensure any evidence will be admissible in court if necessary.

1. Identification

Identifying the evidence is the first step. The digital forensics team will identify what evidence is present. They’ll note where the data is stored and in which format.

2. Preservation

Next, the digital forensics experts will isolate, secure, and preserve the data. This step includes protecting the data from tampering.

3. Analysis

The analysis phase involves a deep, systematic search for relevant evidence. It can include reconstructing fragments of data. Several rounds of examination may be necessary.

The analysts make conclusions based on the evidence they find.

4. Documentation

The fourth step is to create a record of all the visible data. Investigators combine the digital evidence with other evidence documented in photos, sketches, or crime scene maps.

5. Presentation

Finally, the digital forensics team will write a summary of their work.

The report follows forensics protocols. It explains the analysts’ methodologies and procedures as well as their conclusions.

The digital forensics team should write the presentation of evidence and conclusions using terminology a non-specialist can understand.

Development of digital forensic tools

Digital forensic tools have developed significantly in recent decades. Computer forensics began to gain recognition in the 1990s. Early digital forensics investigations used live analysis with the device in question.

However, devices started to contain more and more data. Data interactions have increased by 5,000% since 2010. Relying solely on live analysis is inefficient and impractical.

Modern analysts use a range of sophisticated digital forensics tools. Tools include hardware and software. They can be open source, freeware, or proprietary specialist technologies.

A key feature of digital forensic tools today is automation. For example, tools can filter out duplicate or non-relevant files. This reduces the amount of data that needs investigating.

Types of digital forensic tools

Digital forensics tools can have many different functions. Many modern tools can do multiple tasks. Some tools package hundreds of different functionalities into a single platform.

Each investigation typically needs several types of tools to discover all the relevant evidence.

Disk and Data Capture – Disk and data capture tools detect encrypted data on physical drives. They capture and preview the information. They focus on the whole system.
File Viewer and File Analysis – File viewers and file analysis tools focus on separate files instead of the entire system. They work to extract and analyse relevant files.
Memory Forensics – Analysis of a computer’s file system misses the RAM memory. This volatile memory can have useful information. Sources of information include running processes, network connections, and registry hives. Memory forensics tools work to capture this data.
Registry Analysis – The Windows registry is a database for configuration information. It shows how the operating system and its applications are configured. Registry analysis provides information about a user and their activities.
Internet and Network Analysis – Network tools let forensic investigators analyse network traffic. They can show what a user was doing online. Tools can capture live traffic or take a saved capture file.
Mobile Device Forensics – Mobile forensics tools are specialised tools for mobile devices. They help get data from the internal and external memory of mobile devices. These tools use different methods to bypass device security features like lock screens.
Email Analysis – Email analysis tools help with studying the source and content of email messages. They can identify the origin and destination of messages down to the IP address, network provider or ISP, and physical location.
Database Forensics – Database forensics tools can analyse data and metadata from a database system. They let analysts see who had access to a database and what those users did. Tools can scan and retrieve deleted data.

Importance of digital forensics for insolvency cases

Digital forensics can play a critical role in insolvency cases. Time is of the essence. If unscrupulous individuals destroy important data, creditors and the court may not see the true picture of a company’s assets. Evidence of unethical activity may disappear.

Digital forensics services can handle the investigation process when you suspect fraud or dishonesty on the part of company stakeholders. In addition to hidden assets, digital forensics can help find people who are trying to evade justice. You can focus on the more technical insolvency aspects of the case.

Choosing the right digital forensics service

Digital forensics can help ensure that your insolvency cases have all the evidence you need. However, choosing the right digital forensics analysts is important to be sure the court will accept your evidence.

You can trust the expert digital forensics analysts at ESA Risk with your insolvency cases. Our digital forensic tools include specialist software that preserves critical metadata. We carry out investigations in an ISO-accredited lab.

Learn more about digital forensics services from ESA Risk and see how we can support your insolvency investigations.

How can AI support corporate investigations?

Posted on April 19, 2022November 2, 2022 by Admin Admin

Corporate investigations can be a complex and lengthy process. The expanding volume of material that may need to be reviewed during an investigation has created a need to use innovative technology to tackle these issues.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is about simulating intelligent human behaviour in computers, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and language translation. AI encompasses various technologies, such as natural language processing, deep learning and machine learning.

Managing large amounts of data is a crucial challenge during investigations, and the use of AI can power enhanced data analysis and document review systems. This is what makes AI a particularly transformative tool in the investigations process; it can improve, replace, and accelerate certain investigation efforts, and free up time for more complex tasks.

AI-powered document review systems can perform large-scale reviews, recognise patterns, group by subject and themes, remove unrelated documents, organise timelines, remove duplicates, and sift for relevancy. Casework can be accelerated as evidence is pieced together more quickly.

RAVN and the Serious Fraud Office (SFO)

Managing legal professional privilege disclosure can present a significant challenge in corporate investigations, where law enforcement and regulators are involved. In the SFO’s Rolls-Royce case, an AI document analysis tool, RAVN, was used to analyse an estimated 30 million documents provided by the company. RAVN scanned content that contained potentially privileged material 2000 times faster than a human and removed legally privileged material from admissible files – an incredible time-saving feat.

Through advanced data analytic tools, AI can more effectively organise, categorise, and analyse large, divergent data sources at incredible speed. It can locate and escalate relevant data for review, look for keywords and patterns, evaluate information, and collate a set of results. This reduces the amount of data requiring review, helping investigators focus on the most critical material.

AI can also integrate and query large datasets to connect seemingly disconnected data points, identify key patterns and report irregularities. AI can also proactively detect and flag potentially suspicious activity across platforms and systems.

There has been an evolution in the ways and platforms people use to communicate. This means that patterns may be more important than solitary pieces of evidence during complex investigations. AI can assess communications, transactions and interactions for suspicious trends, and help investigators recognise behavioural patterns across different datasets. These capabilities can lead to more effective evidence compilation and case-building.

Using AI-powered tools and systems in the investigations process can reduce the costs of undertaking corporate investigations in the long-term. It can expedite investigations and enable investigation teams to focus their efforts on more important aspects of investigative work.

Corporate investigations by ESA Risk

Our team of experienced corporate investigators is ready to support you with your investigation needs – from assistance with internal investigations to full-scale corporate investigations as an external investigations agency. We have access to digital forensics and data management technology, like RAVN, to aid investigations that involve large numbers of documents. Please contact Lloydette Bai-Marrow, Serious Fraud and Economic Crime Consultant at lloydette.bai-marrow@esarisk.com, on +44 (0)343 515 8686 or via our contact form for further information.

First published in the Parametric Global Consulting newsletter.