THE TORCHSTONE WATCH
THE TORCHSTONE WATCH
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TorchStone publishes The Watch to assist our readers in proactively managing risk—whether personal, professional, or organizational—in an increasingly insecure world. The featured articles, blog posts, and expert interviews address vulnerabilities and issues we have frequently encountered while safeguarding high profile individuals, wealthy families, multinational corporations, and international sporting events across six continents. Now, more than ever, security seems to be a precious commodity. Our goal is to give you more of it through The TorchStone Watch.
SPOTLIGHT ISSUE
Minnesota Attacks: Protective Intelligence Lessons
By TorchStone VP, Scott Stewart
At about 2:00 am on June 14, police in Champlin, Minnesota, received a 911 call reporting a shooting. Responding police officers found Minnesota state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette had been shot multiple times inside their home. The two were rushed to the hospital and after multiple surgeries survived the attack. Security camera video from the Hoffman home showed the gunman was dressed as a police officer and wore a rubber mask over his face.
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Persistent Insider Threats in Corporate Espionage
Companies and organizations face a multitude of different threats from insiders regarding the theft of intellectual property, trade secrets, and proprietary information. Expanding the thought process on how people evaluate and hunt insider threats is integral to stopping corporate espionage—whether a one-time event or a more insidious possibility.
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May 2025 TorchStone Global Monthly Executive Protection Report
The TorchStone Executive Protection Report tracked 24 domestic and 17 international security incidents or updates to prior incidents impacting high-profile individuals during the month of May. TorchStone Global believes that broader situational awareness and intelligence are key to providing quality executive protection—whether the principal is a Fortune 500 CEO, international celebrity, or local city council member.
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Drone Threat 2025: Taking Stock
Drone technology has changed dramatically since 2018, as evidenced by the massive proliferation of drones in the war in Ukraine and their deadly impact on the battlefield. It seems like an appropriate time to re-examine the terrorist drone threat. I also want to consider some of the implications of advancements in drone technology beyond terrorist attacks.
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Targeted by AI: The Dark Side of Open Tools
In the evolving landscape of personal and executive security, threat actors are now turning to Open Artificial Intelligence or OpenAI systems, like publicly available chatbots and summarization tools, to expedite, enhance, and obscure their targeting efforts.
READ MORE >BLOG
The Extinction Rebellion — What It Is and How It Impacts Industries Far Beyond Energy
Scott Stewart shares his expertise on the Extinction Rebellion with Ontic’s Protective Intelligence Podcast host Fred Burton, and how his firm provides advice to corporations on how to best protect themselves and their employees in this environment. While not all activity poses a threat, it’s important for companies to be hyper-aware of activity and the measures activists can take.
READ MORE >BBC Sounds: Burn Wild Podcast – The Line
There is a school of thought in activism—all movements need a radical flank to succeed. In the podcast, Burn Wild Episode 6: The Line, TorchStone VP Scott Stewart discusses the grievance narrative of Extinction Rebellion (XR).
READ MORE >How to Get on a Watchlist Episode 5: How to Kidnap an Executive
“How to get on a Watchlist” is a new podcast from the team at Encyclopedia Geopolitica. In this installment, How to Get on a Watchlist Episode 5: How to Kidnap an Executive, TorchStone VP Scott Stewart discusses executive kidnappings.
READ MORE >With drug cartel violence, is it safe to travel to Mexico? Security experts weigh in
US tourism is ramping up again in Mexico, but so are the headlines regarding drug cartel violence. TorchStone Vice President of Intelligence Scott Stewart joins the discussion about how safe it is to travel to Mexico.
READ MORE >Perspectives on the Shinzo Abe Assassination
Perspectives on the Shinzo Abe Assassination whitepaper from AT-RISK International, Emergent Risk International, Ontic and Torchstone Global analyzes the July 2022 assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and addresses the broad range of global security implications for individuals and businesses.
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