Commission a TSCM inspection, or bug sweep, when the value of what could be overheard is high and the opportunity for a compromise is real. The most common triggers are sensitive negotiations, a merger or acquisition, board decisions, litigation, a suspected leak, and the departure of a senior employee.
Sensitive commercial negotiations, mergers, acquisitions and capital raisings, board and executive meetings, litigation or a dispute, a suspected information leak, and the departure of a senior or trusted employee. A specific concern raised by an executive is also a sound reason to inspect, since the cost of checking is small against the cost of being wrong.
Many organisations adopt a periodic cycle for boardrooms and executive offices, set against their risk profile rather than a fixed rule. Higher exposure environments inspect more frequently, and most pair a regular cycle with event driven sweeps tied to specific meetings or decisions.
Both have value. A sweep before a major decision or transaction gives confidence that discussions held in the lead up stay private. A sweep after an event of concern, such as a leak or a suspicious find, establishes whether a compromise exists and informs a measured response. The trigger shapes the scope, not whether the work is worthwhile.
A credible inspection is operator led and combines a detailed physical search with structured radio frequency analysis and targeted technical testing, followed by a clear report and proportionate recommendations. You can read more on our technical surveillance countermeasures page.
If you are weighing up timing for a deal in particular, our guide on confidentiality before a transaction goes further, and the questions every board should ask about confidentiality can help you test where you stand. To discuss a specific situation, begin a confidential conversation.