The Physics of Protection: Human Behavior, Risk, and Readiness with Bryan Niederhelm

In this episode Modern executive protection requires far more than a physical presence. In this episode, Fred Burton speaks with Bryan Niederhelm, Senior Vice President of Threat Assessment and Management at Gavin de Becker & Associates, about the evolving landscape of protective intelligence, threat assessment, and violence prevention. Bryan shares why the fundamentals of human…

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How Leading Corporate Security Teams Evaluate Executive Protection Software

Discover the criteria corporate security leaders use to identify the best executive protection software Over the last several years, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with executive protection leaders across a wide range of industries and organizational structures. Some are building formal executive protection programs for the first time. Others lead mature operations with dedicated…

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Insider Threat Awareness and Detection: A Complete Guide (2026)

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Organizations are increasing their focus on insider threat awareness to create more resilient defenses against theft, unauthorized access, workplace violence, fraud, intellectual property loss, and other internal security risks. As cyber and physical security continue to converge, security teams are collaborating more closely than ever to detect insider threats before they result in financial, operational,…

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Best Executive Protection Companies in 2026

Executive protection has evolved far beyond bodyguards and physical security details. Today’s leading executive protection companies combine protective operations, threat intelligence, travel security, digital risk monitoring, and technology to help organizations safeguard executives, employees, and critical assets. Whether you’re evaluating executive protection providers, researching the best executive protection companies, or exploring executive protection software, this…

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The New Executive Protection Playbook: Why Security Must Converge with Ken Senser

In this episode The risk landscape facing corporate leaders has changed dramatically. In this episode, Fred Burton sits down with longtime security executive Ken Senser to discuss how threats have evolved from large-scale physical attacks to today’s digitally enabled, grievance-driven risks. Drawing on decades of experience with the CIA, FBI, Walmart, and Corporate Security Advisors,…

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Understanding the Pathway to Violence 

Learn the key behaviors of each phase in the Pathway to Violence and how to use this knowledge to protect your organization Stage 0: Pre-Ideation Stage 1: Ideation Stage 2: Planning Stage 3: Preparation Stage 4: Implemenation As a corporate security professional, one of your greatest concerns is the possibility of missing the early signs…

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Executive Security Dinner

Building More Connected Security Organizations Join fellow security leaders from across the Bay Area, along with Ontic thought-leaders Tim Kirkham and Dave Komendat, for an executive dinner discussion focused on the future of security leadership. Explore how leading organizations are modernizing security operations, strengthening partnerships across the business, and leveraging emerging technologies to make faster,…

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The Invisible Insider: Rethinking Risk Across Cyber, Physical, and Human Threats

Why public sector organizations must adopt more integrated, intelligence-driven approaches to identify converged threats before they escalate This article was originally published in Homeland Security Today. For years, insider threat programs in the public sector have followed a familiar model: monitor for suspicious activity, investigate when something goes wrong, and respond accordingly. That model was built for…

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What is Protective Intelligence? (2026)

Protective intelligence is the proactive identification, assessment, and mitigation of threats to people, assets, and organizations before harm occurs. It helps corporate security and executive protection teams detect warning signs early, assess whether concerning behavior may escalate, and take action before an incident happens. In corporate security, protective intelligence combines threat assessment, investigations, monitoring, behavioral…

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Why CEOs Are Becoming Political Targets and How Protection Must Evolve

A male executive on an airplane looking at his phone

A more proactive, intelligence-led approach is needed to identify risk earlier and respond before it escalates The risk profile of today’s CEO has fundamentally changed. Recent incidents involving high-profile leaders like Sam Altman are putting something into sharper focus for security teams: the threats organizations face today are not only evolving; they are emerging faster…

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Incivility to Targeting: Bob Hayes on the New Era of Executive Risk

In this episode A growing culture of incivility is reshaping the corporate risk landscape, and security leaders are being forced to adapt quickly. In this episode of the Connected Intelligence Podcast, Fred Burton sits down with Security Executive Council founder Bob Hayes to discuss the research behind rising workplace aggression, executive targeting, activist-driven threats, and…

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The Business Case for Connecting Dispatch with Incidents and Investigations

How to turn your incident intake and dispatch data into clear business outcomes that capture leadership’s attention For most security teams, dispatch is just one part of a broader, connected incident intake and response process. Yet it often lives in its own system. On its own, that system may work fine: incidents get logged, responders…

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