Blog

21 Apr 2026

The Intelligence Gap in Corporate Security: From Guardrails to Intelligence‑Driven Posture

Author: Jason Jones
The operating environment has changed, and the way organizations approach security must continue to evolve with it. Advances in technology, the proliferation of connected systems, and the increasing use of cyber capabilities, autonomous platforms, and information operations have expanded both the...
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4 Feb 2026

Digital Vulnerability is Not Siloed: OSINT has Entered a New Phase

Author: Cynthia Hetherington, MLS, MSM, CFE
OSINT, Knowledge Ecology, and the Myth of the Quick Fix Open-source intelligence is entering a new phase. The discipline is no longer defined primarily by collection or access, but by interpretation, amplification, and consequence. That shift reflects a deeper reality. OSINT now operates inside a...
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21 Jan 2026

Privacy Awareness Week: Limit Your Digital Exposure

Author: Brian Napierala
At Hetherington Group, we not only pride ourselves on the work that we do to help people regain their digital privacy, but we also educate people on things they can do going forward to limit their digital exposure. In honor of digital privacy week, we wanted to share some of our knowledge and...
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9 Jan 2026

Weaponized Open Sources: AI Viral Hoax with Real Consequences

Author: Cynthia Hetherington, MLS, MSM, CFE
In January 2026, Business Insider published an investigation detailing how a viral Reddit post alleging systemic exploitation inside a major food delivery platform was, in fact, an AI-driven hoax (Parmar, 2026). The anonymous poster claimed to be a whistleblower bound by a non-disclosure...
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5 Dec 2025

Looking Back: Hetherington Group’s Focus on Training and Digital Executive Protection

Author: Cynthia Hetherington, MLS, MSM, CFE
As 2025 draws to a close, one truth has become clear over the last 12 months: the need for open-source intelligence (OSINT) expertise and tradecraft only continues to grow. This year, Hetherington Group’s HG Training saw a record number of professionals trained in open-source...
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19 Nov 2025

Executive Risk: How Digital Executive Protection Mitigates Exposure

Author: Brian Napierala
The fear of physical violence is the main reason Executive Protection (EP) teams and Physical Security specialists reach out to Hg. As referenced in my previous two blogs, most people use our Digital Vulnerability Program because of fear of physical harm to themselves or their family....
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10 Nov 2025

Understanding the Role of Social Media Data in Digital Executive Protection (DEP)

Author: Brian Napierala
In my previous blog, we covered the importance of a comprehensive strategy for Digital Executive Protection (DEP) that goes beyond Personally Identifiable Information (PII) removal. In this second blog in the series, I want to address the role of social media data in DEP and how a comprehensive...
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28 Oct 2025

Executive Digital Protection: Beyond Just PII Removal

Author: Brian Napierala
It’s time we had a real discussion about what Digital Executive Protection actually is and what it is currently lacking today. Personally, I’ve only been in the Digital Executive Protection (DEP) space while working at Hetherington Group, however I’ve been in the OSINT world for...
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1 Oct 2025

Every C-Suite Security Team Needs to Invest in PII Removal and Monitoring

The personal security of high-profile executives is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Between an increasingly divided political landscape, rising civil unrest, and a federal government shutdown that threatens to disrupt commerce and destabilize public confidence, corporate leaders are...
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