Four Insider Threats Security Officers Should Know

Four Insider Threats Security Officers Should Know

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Not every insider threat looks the same.

By Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

Security officers should understand that threats can come from intentional actions, mistakes, outside influence, or collaboration.

Four common types of insider threats include:

1️⃣ Malicious Insider — deliberately misuses access or information.
2️⃣ Careless Insider — creates risk through negligence or poor security practices.
3️⃣ Compromised Insider — is influenced, coerced, or manipulated by an outside party.
4️⃣ Collaborating Insider — knowingly assists others in bypassing security controls.

The warning signs aren’t always obvious. They may involve greed, carelessness, pressure, manipulation, or deliberate cooperation.

Awareness, observation, reporting, and strong security procedures can help organizations identify risks before they become incidents.

Source: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. (n.d.). Insider threat mitigation.

#InsiderThreat #SecurityAwareness #SecurityGuards #SecurityManagement #RiskManagement #ProtectionServices #LossPrevention #CorporateSecurity

 

Fraud Prevention Starts With Awareness

Fraud Prevention Starts With Awareness

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By Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

Fraud can impact more than a company’s bottom line—it can affect employees, customers, operations, and trust.

Protection and security professionals play an important role in prevention. By staying alert to unusual behavior, policy violations, access anomalies, and other warning signs, security officers can help identify potential risks before they escalate.

The key is awareness, observation, and timely reporting. Security teams don’t have to investigate every suspicious activity themselves; recognizing the signs and communicating concerns through established procedures can make a meaningful difference.

Strong fraud prevention is a shared responsibility—and security professionals are an important part of that first line of defense.

Source: Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. (2024). Occupational fraud 2024: A report to the nations.

#FraudPrevention #SecurityGuards #SecurityAwareness #LossPrevention #RiskManagement #PrivateSecurity #ProtectionServices #SecurityProfessionals

 

When Security Teams Feel Safe to Speak Up

When Security Teams Feel Safe to Speak Up

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By Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

Security officers, controllers, and analysts are often the first to spot a vulnerability, suspicious behavior, or emerging threat. But if they don’t feel safe raising concerns, critical intelligence can be lost.

Google’s Project Aristotle identified psychological safety as a key factor associated with effective teams—creating an environment where people can speak up, ask questions, and acknowledge mistakes without fear of embarrassment or punishment.

For security organizations, this matters. Leaders who actively listen, encourage reporting, and respond constructively can help turn front-line observations into actionable intelligence.

A strong security culture isn’t just about procedures—it’s about creating a team where every voice can contribute to protecting people, property, and operations.

Sources:
Google re. (n.d.). Understand team effectiveness.
Security Management. (n.d.). Psychological safety.

#SecurityManagement #SecurityGuards #ProtectionServices #SecurityLeadership #RiskManagement #WorkplaceSafety #PsychologicalSafety

 

Shoplifter

Understanding the Mind of a Shoplifter

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Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

Shoplifting isn’t always about financial need. Research suggests that opportunity, impulsivity, perceived risk, and situational factors can influence theft behavior.

For protection security professionals, understanding these factors can improve prevention without relying solely on confrontation. Vigilant observation, visible security presence, effective customer-service engagement, and well-designed loss-prevention procedures can help reduce opportunities for theft while maintaining a safe shopping environment.

The goal isn’t to profile people—it’s to recognize behaviors and circumstances that may indicate elevated risk and respond professionally.

A proactive security strategy protects merchandise, employees, and customers while supporting a positive retail experience.

Source: Hayes, R. (1997). Retail security and loss prevention. Wiley.

#Security #SecurityGuards #RetailSecurity #LossPrevention #ShopliftingPrevention #ProtectionServices #PrivateSecurity #RetailSafety

 

Retail Security

Skills That Strengthen Retail Security

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Four decades on the front lines of retail security offer more than experience—they reveal the skills that help mitigate threats before they escalate.

Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

Mike Lamb’s career highlights the importance of combining situational awareness, investigative expertise, communication, technology, and sound decision-making to address evolving retail security challenges.

Effective security professionals must recognize suspicious behavior, assess risk quickly, communicate clearly, investigate incidents thoroughly and adapt as criminal tactics change.

Technology can enhance these capabilities, but people remain at the center of effective security protection.

The strongest retail security programs combine trained professionals, actionable intelligence and proactive strategies to deter theft, identify threats and protect employees, customers and assets.

In retail security, experience matters—but the ability to continually learn, adapt and anticipate threats is what makes experience valuable.

Source: Loss Prevention Media. (n.d.). Mike Lamb: Four decades on the front lines of retail security.

#RetailSecurity #LossPrevention #AssetProtection #ThreatMitigation #SecurityProfessionals #RetailSafety #RiskManagement #SecurityProtection



security alerts

Turning Security Alerts Into Action

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Modern security systems can generate thousands of security alerts every day—but more data doesn’t automatically mean better protection.

By Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

Security professionals must determine which alerts represent genuine threats, validate the information and prioritize the incidents requiring immediate attention. The challenge is separating meaningful signals from the noise before risk escalates.

AI-assisted analytics, integrated video, intelligent monitoring and centralized security platforms can help organizations identify patterns, prioritize critical events and accelerate response.

But technology is only part of the solution. Experienced security professionals remain essential for interpreting information, applying context and making informed decisions.

The goal isn’t simply to generate more security alerts. It’s to transform security data into actionable intelligence that strengthens prevention, response and protection.

Source: Loss Prevention Media. (n.d.). Security alerts and actionable intelligence.

#SecurityTechnology #SecurityOperations #ThreatDetection #RiskManagement #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #SecurityProtection #LossPrevention #SecurityProfessionals


investigations

AI Is Reshaping Digital Investigations

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AI-assisted digital investigations are creating new opportunities to analyze information, identify patterns and expand investigative capacity—but speed must be matched by accountability.

By Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

As organizations adopt AI tools, investigators need reliable methods to validate AI-generated findings, understand limitations and maintain appropriate governance throughout the investigative process.

The objective isn’t simply to automate investigations. It’s to use AI responsibly to help investigators work more efficiently while preserving accuracy, transparency and professional judgment.

Scaling investigative capacity requires a thoughtful balance: technology can accelerate the search for evidence, but human expertise remains essential for evaluating context, corroborating findings and making defensible decisions.

The future of digital investigations will belong to organizations that combine AI capability with disciplined governance.

Source: Loss Prevention Media. (n.d.). AI-assisted digital investigations.

#DigitalInvestigations #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Investigations #Cybersecurity #RiskManagement #LossPrevention #SecurityTechnology


fraud

Global Fraud Is Becoming More Sophisticated

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Fraud is no longer just a collection of isolated schemes. As technology makes fraud easier to scale, organized criminal networks are becoming increasingly sophisticated—and increasingly global.

By Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

In the latest episode of Fraud Talk, ACFE’s Jason Zirkle, CFE, and Mason Wilder, CFE, examine INTERPOL’s Operation First Light 2026, highlighting what the international enforcement effort reveals about today’s fraud landscape.

A key takeaway: information sharing and international cooperation are essential to identifying interconnected fraud networks and disrupting their operations.

Large-scale enforcement actions also demonstrate the importance of combining intelligence, technology and cross-border collaboration to stay ahead of increasingly adaptive criminal enterprises.

For fraud professionals, the message is clear: global threats require global cooperation.

Source: Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. (2026). Fraud Talk: Operation First Light 2026.

#FraudPrevention #FraudDetection #OrganizedCrime #FinancialCrime #RiskManagement #FraudTalk #ACFE #Investigations #Cybercrime



Professionalism.-Presence.-Protection.

Professionalism. Presence. Protection.

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When safety matters, experience and professionalism make all the difference.

Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

At Nexgen-Protection, our mission is to provide a strong, visible security presence while delivering exceptional service, reliability, and peace of mind.

Effective security is more than responding to incidents—it is about preparation, awareness, prevention, and building trust. Our trained professionals help create safer environments through proactive protection, customer-focused service, and dependable support.

Whether protecting a nightclub, private event, commercial property, construction site, or providing executive protection services, our team is ready to safeguard what matters most—24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Because true security is built on experience, professionalism, and a commitment to those we serve.

Your safety is our priority. Your peace of mind is our purpose.

#SecurityServices #24x7Security #ProtectionServices #ExecutiveProtection #EventSecurity #CommercialSecurity #PhysicalSecurity #RiskManagement #SafetyFirst #HudsonValley

APA References

ASIS International. (2022). Protection of assets (POA): Security management practices. ASIS International.

 

Security-Is-Prevention-Not-Just-Response.

Security Is Prevention, Not Just Response

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Professional security is about more than responding when something goes wrong—it is about creating a visible, prepared presence that helps clients, employees, and guests feel confident in the environment around them.

By Frank Costa, President, Nexgen Protection Services

Effective security combines training, awareness, communication, and proactive risk management to identify potential concerns before they become incidents. A professional security team provides more than protection; they create an atmosphere of safety, trust, and reassurance.

From commercial properties and events to corporate facilities and public spaces, a well-trained security presence helps deter unwanted activity, support operations, and protect what matters most.

The best security solutions are built on preparation, professionalism, and partnership.

When people feel safe, organizations can thrive.

#SecurityProfessionals #PhysicalSecurity #RiskManagement #SafetyFirst #SecurityServices #CrimePrevention #AssetProtection #PublicSafety #SecurityAwareness #Leadership

APA References

ASIS International. (2022). Protection of assets (POA): Security management practices. ASIS International.