What is protective intelligence?
Protective Intelligence is a threat assessment methodology used to proactively identify, investigate, assess and mitigate potential threats against leadership, organisations and reputations. It leverages threat intelligence to identify potential threats before they materialise.
Based on the threat assessment, protective intelligence informs the development and implementation of mitigation strategies, from enhanced physical security and cybersecurity measures to stricter travel protocols and continuous monitoring of identified risks.
Who it protects and why it’s important
Originating from the need to protect presidents and other public figures, it is a subset of executive protection, which focuses on safeguarding individuals at risk due to their roles or status. This can include executives and key employees, as well as high-profile individuals like celebrities and wealthy people. Protective intelligence is vital not only for physical security but also digital executive protection.
It goes beyond identifying and mitigating potential threats against leadership to also encompass the digital and physical security of organisations, as well as their brand and reputation. Protective intelligence allows for the proactive identification of potential threats before they materialise. This proactive stance is essential for preventing incidents rather than just reacting to them after the harm has occurred.
Main threats protective intelligence can counter
Protective intelligence can safeguard both individuals and organisations from a wide range of threats.
- Physical threats – Risks such as kidnapping, assault and other forms of physical harm to executives and key personnel, as well as damage to an organisation’s facilities or operations
- Cyber threats – Cyber-attacks such as hacking, phishing, ransomware and data breaches
- Reputational Threats – Negative publicity, misinformation and social media attacks that can harm an organisation’s reputation
- Insider threats – Risks posed by employees or other insiders, whether maliciously or unintentionally
- Supply chain threats – Vulnerabilities in third-party vendors and partners that could be exploited to harm the organisation
Key components of a protective intelligence threat assessment
A comprehensive threat assessment should encompass the following key components:
- Identification of threats – Gathering intelligence from various sources to identify possible risks to the organisation or individual
- Evaluation of threats – Assessing the seriousness and likelihood of each identified threat, including analysing historical data, industry trends and specific vulnerabilities
- Mitigation strategies – Developing and implementing strategies to reduce the risks and impacts of identified threats, such as crisis management plans and physical security and cybersecurity measures
- Continuous monitoring – Continuous monitoring of the threat landscape and adapting strategies as needed.
- Effective collaboration – Security teams, executives and other stakeholders working and communicating effectually
- Training and awareness – Providing training and raising awareness among employees and executives about potential threats and how to respond to them
Who manages protective intelligence?
The responsibility for protective intelligence can vary depending on the context and the nature of the person or entity being protected.
Government agencies like the CIA, FBI, and NSA in the United States, and MI5 and GCHQ in the United Kingdom, are heavily involved in protective intelligence at the national level. Police departments and other law enforcement agencies play a crucial role in protective intelligence at the local and regional levels.
In the private sector, many companies, especially those in high-risk industries, employ security professionals who are responsible for protective intelligence. They assess threats to the company’s personnel, assets and operations, and develop strategies to mitigate those threats.
This can include executive protection specialists, who have expertise in protective intelligence and cybersecurity teams, who monitor networks and systems for malicious activity, identify potential vulnerabilities and develop strategies to prevent and respond to cyber threats.
Methods and tools of protective intelligence
Protective intelligence involves various methods and tools to identify, assess and mitigate potential threats to individuals, organisations or assets. Key methods include:
- Risk-Threat-Vulnerability Assessment (RTVA) –This comprehensive assessment evaluates potential risks, threats and vulnerabilities to identify weaknesses in security and develop mitigation strategies
- Surveillance and counter surveillance – This method focuses on identifying and monitoring suspicious activities that could indicate a threat, often involving both physical and digital surveillance techniques, as well as detecting the surveillance efforts of adversaries
- Investigations – This can include conducting background checks and interviews, or red teaming to simulate attacks or security breaches to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in security protocols
- Threat Intelligence Platforms (TIPs) –These platforms collect and analyse data from multiple sources, including open-source intelligence (OSINT), the dark web, internal security systems, threat feeds and more to anticipate and prevent security breaches
FAQs
What is the meaning of protective intelligence?
Protective intelligence is the proactive identification, analysis and mitigation of potential threats before they materialise, helping reduce risks and enhance security.
What does a protective intelligence analyst do?
A protective intelligence analyst monitors and analyses threats, gathers and assesses intelligence from various sources and provides actionable insights to safeguard individuals, organisations or assets.
What is a protective person?
A protective person is someone responsible for identifying and mitigating threats, often in roles related to security, intelligence or risk management.
Protective intelligence and Silobreaker
Protective intelligence enables organisations to identify and mitigate threats before they materialise. Silobreaker excels in delivering protective intelligence by automating the collection, aggregation, and analysis of real-time data across cyber, geopolitical and physical threats.
With near-real-time monitoring, Silobreaker ensures that actionable intelligence reaches decision-makers before risks escalate, reducing potential financial and operational impacts. Its AI-powered platform centralises intelligence operations, streamlines collaboration and enables teams to produce high-quality, justifiable reports aligned with priority intelligence requirements (PIRs). By providing a comprehensive view of emerging threats, Silobreaker empowers organisations with the protective intelligence needed to act decisively and safeguard their enterprise.