Security and TSCM Industry Reviews
"The Red Balloon is an excellent training tool for security professionals regardless of their tenure in the security field. This DVD will help corporate leadership staff and business professionals to raise their levels of awareness regarding a risk that all too often falls under the 'it couldn’t happen to me' syndrome."
Randy Arnt
Executive Director Global Security,
Kimberly Clarke Corporation
I recently reviewed The Red Balloon, a DVD covering eavesdropping and countermeasures by Charles Taylor, which covers in about 2 hours what I cover in a 2 day TSCM seminar. About the only thing it doesn't do that is done in my TSCM seminar is provide you with an opportunity to get into the nitty-gritty of how things are done and to have those special questions answered. If he ever makes it interactive, I'm out of the seminar business.
That is not to say that the DVD can replace the seminar, but it does an excellent job of providing information on TSCM, Bugs, Taps, Eavesdropping, Threat Levels, Equipment, locating TSCM providers or developing in house capabilities, etc., all on one easily viewed DVD. In this endeavor, Charlie did a great service to the Security Manager and Security Director in particular and the Security Industry as a whole. No more reading and not understanding the terms and terminology. Charlie lays it out in plain, easy to understand English.
The DVD can be viewed in it's entirety at one sitting or one can select the chapter one wishes to view/review as the need arises or questions arise within an organization.
For the cost, you could spend a lot more and get a whole lot less.
Well documented, well presented, and well researched. It is a definite must have for your security library. Trust me on this one. Even the TSCM professional should have a copy of this one.
Tim Johnson
Technical Security Consultants Inc.
Carrollton, Georgia
***** 5 Stars Review in Security Management Magazine
“This is a two-hour training video on the rather abstruse topic of eavesdropping, but it is refreshingly vibrant and engaging. And in terms of substance, the video/DVD is on par with the most thorough texts.
Charles Taylor, a noted expert in espionage, sought a way to keep in touch with the field after he retired, and he has clearly worked on conveying his hard won wisdom in a palatable a matter as possible. The Red Balloon is the result.
The easy-to-follow format features twelve sections, each dealing with a separate topic, from phone taps and bug sweeps to selecting a TSCM service provider. The DVD can be viewed all at once, or individual sections can be meted out as discrete training units.
Though sometimes technical, the video mostly operates at a level accessible to rank and file staff. It covers commonsense issues such as locking up papers, using shredders, and identifying potential adversaries. Other information might be news even to security professionals. For example, Taylor explains that many spying devices are not illegal to own but are illegal to use.
When the material does get technical, Taylor explains information clearly and adds a dose of dry wit to keep viewers’ attention. He provides just enough information to be useful, changing topics before viewers can get bored.”
© 2006 ASIS International, 1625 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.
Reprinted by permisssion from the (March 2006) issue of Security Mangement magazine.
"The Red Balloon is filled with the kind of clear, practical and straightforward information which many of us have come to expect from Charlie Taylor. It will appeal to people from a wide variety of roles and skill levels. I came away from it with ideas which I can put in place at my company today, and that's the true test of the value of an offering like this."
Mike Frankovich
Director of Corporate Security,
Duke Energy Corporation
"The Red Balloon is an amazingly well done video. The information is provided in a simple and clear manner that both laymen and professionals will thoroughly enjoy and learn from. Most informational security videos sell for $300 or more and last less than thirty minutes. This two-hour video is a real value."
Rick Udovich
President Communications Security Inc
"I've been a practitioner in this field for more than 20 years. It's refreshing to see a detailed and genuinely unbiased informational video that does an excellent job of explaining the complexities of TSCM to the uninitiated. It's terribly hard for a non-technical end-user to learn enough about sweeping to choose the right provider or to decide to create an in-house program. The Red Balloon more than adequately provides the background a security director or anyone else who is charged with the task needs to make an informed decision."
Rob Muessel
Director, TSCM Technical Services
"The Red Balloon provides an excellent tool for education and raising the awareness on the potential threats of competitive espionage and the need for attention to this important area of security. It is an outstanding introductory overview of TSCM, and also provides beneficial, practical, and realistic security advice for the modern business organization."
Tom Jones
REI
"Finally an unbiased overview of some of the anticipated threats, perceived risks, countless vulnerabilities and potential impacts we could face in today’s ever changing Geopolitical economy. Charlie Taylor has succeeded, with THE RED BALLOON, in compacting 2 hours full of clear and concise examples everyone MUST be aware of. End users and practitioners alike now have a invaluable resource. When we’ve shown portions of the DVD in training classes the response is the same. When can we see more. They just can’t wait to see the next chapter. It’s ADDICTING...
Five ***** Stars. At $99.00 each, everyone should have their own copy.
G.F. Bryant
Executive Director
World Institute for Security Enhancement
"I salute you, this is the best on the subject to educate us layman on the subject matter."
Dato' Syed Jaafar
Director, SJ Security Consultants
Penang, Malaysia
"The "Red Balloon" contains all the necessary information to help you solicit a reputable countermeasures company or technician to give you and your company peace of mind knowing that they will conduct a complete and efficient sweep. The "Red Balloon" makes you want to obtain more knowledge about the threats that affect your business. I look forward to the next video!"
Martin Epstein
TSCM Consultant
“The ‘Red balloon’ video represents a powerful tool for raising awareness of the often misunderstood and misrepresented field of TSCM. The video provides a comprehensive and in depth description of TSCM issues from a unique independent viewpoint as well as simple commonsense advice. I would recommend this video to all security professionals and any organization considering either establishing an in house TSCM capability or engaging a TSCM service provider.”
Michael J. Dever CPP
Principal Engineer
Dever Clark & Associates
Canberra, Australia
"I have reviewed your film last night and I must say that you have touched on many things that in the past others have tried to do and that is "MAKE AN UNBIASED REVIEW OF EQUIPMENT AND TELLING THE TRUTH ON TSCM SPECIALISTS AND PROCEDURES" I am very happy Jim told me to review this film as I would have thought it was just another hyped up promo for certain manufactures. "
Steve Ursi
Lookout Security
"I have viewed The Red Balloon, was quite favorably impressed with it. The video is well made, well produced, and is technically accurate with no hype or polarized attitudes."
Jim Atkinson
www.tscm.com
"The Red Balloon is an excellent introduction to TSCM. With so many companies losing millions of dollars annually through competitive intelligence operations and exploitation, I say this video is a "must have" for anyone fulfilling a security role in a high threat environment where proprietary information is held. It is assembled well, and covers the reality of electronic eavesdropping."
Mitch Davis
TSCM/Special Operations Group Inc.
www.tscmusa.com
"I just watched the video. It's exactly what I needed as the perfect gift for my clients (and potential clients). It perfectly fulfills its purpose as an 'introductory and informative video about industrial and electronic eavesdropping'. No doubt I will recommend it to all my clients. Congratulations on a great product."
Javier Villanueva,
Vcorp & Asociados
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