Fox Nation special spotlights 1993 World Trade Center bombing

FOX Nation did a wonderful job telling our stories about the run up to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the New York City bombing plots, the capture of Ramzi Yousef, and the murder of Rabbi Meir Kahane. I’ve attached a short clip of one of my interviews that aired on Fox & Friends this week. The special series is called “The Rising Crescent.”

'The Rising Crescent' explores the events leading up to the 1993 attack; Andrew McCarthy previews the documentary.

Executive Protection: The Fear of Kidnappings

From a historical perspective, the perception of the kidnapping threat has driven the creation of many, if not most private executive protection teams. The threat of kidnappings is very low for high-net worth families and CEO’s in the United States. In this blog post for Ontic, I share a few thoughts on the fear of kidnappings.

Executive Protection: The Fear of Kidnappings - Ontic

From a historical perspective, the perception of the kidnapping threat has driven the creation of many, if not most private executive protection teams. Threat of kidnappings is very low for high-net worth families and CEO's in the United States. Notorious kidnapping cases helped shape the public perception of the need for protection for the rich...

The Delivery Man Ruse: An Effective Method to Kill

I put together a few thoughts on the deliveryman ruse in regards to the horrible attack at the home of the federal judge. I have seen this m.o. before, to include one in my hometown of Bethesda, Maryland.

The Delivery Man Ruse: An Effective Method to Kill - Ontic

Key Points If you want to prevent the next attack, understanding the "how" can be much more important than the "why" With numerous individuals to protect, technology can help prioritize resources Technology and threat assessments can help fill intelligence gaps After a lifetime of examining attacks and failed plots, my eye has always been drawn...

Physical security startup Ontic begins putting $12M raised in April to work

Nice article from the Austin Business Journal - This Austin company, which can help businesses protect their physical spaces including offices that might be sitting empty during the pandemic, has hired Fred Burton, a former State Department counterterrorism deputy chief and Diplomatic Security Service special agent.

Ontic's new exec Fred Burton brings counterterrorism experience to Austin startup - Austin Business Journal

Three months after closing a $12 million series A funding round, Ontic Technologies Inc. has created the Ontic Center for Protective Intelligence and named security expert Fred Burton to be its executive director. The Austin company provides a digital platform that helps companies, schools and other organizations analyze data to anticipate possible physical security threats.

Ontic Appoints Pioneering Security Expert Fred Burton to Lead New Center for Protective Intelligence

General James A. “Spider” Marks and Rich Battista Join as Advisors Following Company’s $12 Million Series A Funding and Exponential Growth

Austin, Texas, July 16, 2020 — Ontic, the unified protective intelligence software platform digitally transforming how businesses proactively address physical safety, announced today the appointment of Fred Burton as executive director of its new Ontic Center for Protective Intelligence. A New York Times bestselling author, former special agent and counterterrorism authority, Burton joins Ontic following the company’s recent $12 million Series A funding led by Felicis Ventures.

“Ontic is proud to welcome Fred Burton to our ranks, considered to be the world’s foremost authority on protective intelligence,” said Lukas Quanstrom, chief executive officer, Ontic. “Fred brings proven insights and methodologies to the Ontic Center for Protective Intelligence, which are crucial to the digital transformation of the physical security area that large enterprises and educational institutions demand. In an age when threats surge across various channels while how we work, engage and learn is melding with our personal lives, advancing physical security through technology must be a high priority.”

The Ontic Center for Protective Intelligence provides strategic consulting, multidimensional services and resources for safety and security professionals at major corporations across financial services, technology, retail, entertainment and consumer products sectors. Through its initiatives, global industry experts and authorities in protective intelligence share best practices, insights on current and historical trends, and explore lessons learned from physical security peers. In addition, Ontic research, whitepapers, webinars and podcasts will be among the Center’s new offerings.

“There was a clear lack of technology to enable us, the threat hunters, to do our jobs more efficiently when we created the protective intelligence practice at the State Department decades ago,” said Fred Burton, executive director, Ontic Center for Protective Intelligence. “It wasn’t until Ontic that I found something truly special for advancing this art — an innovative technology platform that pulls together all the disparate channels of data tapped for physical security. I am honored to spearhead the Center for Protective Intelligence to help physical security professionals optimize their security programs, streamline their protective intelligence initiatives and keep their people safe.”

Burton joins Ontic from Rane/Stratfor, a leading global geopolitical intelligence platform, where he served as chief security officer and remains a company advisor. He is a former State Department counter-terrorism deputy chief and U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Special Agent. Recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on security and terrorism, Burton is a New York Times best-selling author of four books, including his memoir, GHOST: Confessions of a Counterterrorism Agent, a story of his role in the fight against the burgeoning terrorist threat in the 1980s and beyond.

General James A. “Spider” Marks, Rich Battista Join Ontic Advisory Board
Ontic has also expanded its Advisory Board with the addition of General James “Spider” Marks and Rich Battista. Both bring expertise to Ontic across the technology, security, corporate and entrepreneurial ecosystems that will help the company advance its private sector initiatives.

Marks spent over 30 years in the U.S. Army where he attained the rank of Major General, holding every command position from infantry platoon leader to commanding general. He was the senior intelligence officer for Operation Iraqi Freedom and culminated his career as the Commanding General of the US Army Intelligence Center and School. Since retiring from the military, General Marks has led many business ventures and entrepreneurial efforts. He is an on-air national security, military and intelligence contributor to CNN and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University.

Battista is a proven Chief Executive Officer with significant experience operating, building and revitalizing large-scale multiplatform companies at the nexus of media and technology. Battista has reshaped, transformed and sold two multi-billion dollar publicly-traded companies in Time Inc. and Gemstar-TV Guide. He has held several senior management roles during an 18-year tenure at Fox.

About Ontic
Ontic is the first protective intelligence technology platform to unify and digitally transform all critical data and information physical security professionals need to get the most relevant intelligence — faster — for early threat detection. Insights from the SaaS-based Ontic platform allow corporate security and education leaders to better identify pre-incident indicators, assess risk and mitigate potential threats in order to protect employees, patrons, students, educators, facilities and schools. Ontic works with Fortune 500 companies and leading educational institutions to keep its most prized assets safe — its people.

Press Contact
Finn Partners for Ontic
Zander Wharton
zander.wharton@finnpartners.com
203-733-2815

 

Surveillance Detection: You Can’t Find Surveillance Unless You’re Looking For It

I put together some thoughts on surveillance detection for the Ontic blog.

For a stalker or assassin to be successful, they must study and observe their target, an action that makes them vulnerable to surveillance detection. The challenge is seeing the surveillance taking place. 

Surveillance Detection: You Can't Find Surveillance Unless You're Looking For It - Ontic

I learned surveillance tradecraft the hard way in the 1980's, as chronicled in my memoir Ghost: Confessions of a Counterterrorism Agent (Random House, 2008). The course of history has been altered with significant protective intelligence failures and tragedies, from assassinations to school shootings, many caused by failing to notice or act on hostile surveillance.

The Definitive Protective Intelligence Reading List

I get asked all the time for reading lists on a range of topics, so here are a few thought provoking books (one of mine included!) on the topic of protective intelligence that I would recommend for your library. I’ve also added a few thoughts as to why I think the books are relevant. What books are on your list?