Fred Burton

Fred Burton is one of the world’s foremost authorities on protective intelligence, security and counterterrorism. He is a member of The Ontic Center for Connected Intelligence, working closely with security leaders at major corporations to help them optimize their programs, streamline protective intelligence initiatives and keep their people safe.

Contributing Writer

Integrated Solutions

Organized retail crime in focus

Fighting ORC is possible, but without a holistic view and fully resourced corporate security teams and law enforcement partners, it can be an uphill battle.

Fred Burton

September 8, 2023

Fighting organized retail crime (ORC) requires a holistic and fully resourced enterprise security program.

The attack cycle, mass shootings and lone wolves: What companies should know

Fred Burton

August 25, 2021

Lone wolf actors often leave clues about their intentions through several stages of the attack cycle. For corporate security executives, using data and protective intelligence to identify these clues is crucial for mitigation and prevention.

What to Look for in Travel Security and Executive Protection Services - Security Magazine

Why physical security is the business of many

Fred Burton

May 24, 2021

Failure of imagination leads to most crises. As the pandemic persists, vaccinations and vaccine resistance increases, mass shootings rise, and racial and political unrest show few signs of ebbing, seemingly impossible "what if" scenarios are our everyday reality. But can we prevent and protect ourselves from the bad impossibilities? In my experience, if we believe it can happen, then we can look for that trouble, see around corners and potentially head off bad situations. This is why opportunities for protective intelligence analysts are growing and, as digital transformation continues, will be one of the most in-demand roles at corporations alongside cybersecurity experts.

Protective intelligence lessons from the U.S. Capitol riot for companies

Fred Burton

April 23, 2021

After a lifetime in the protection business, the one constant in Washington that I’ve learned is that it takes tragedy to force change. The January 6 Capitol riot is not an enigma. This was a clear protective intelligence failure. The key finding of Retired Army LTG. Russel Honore’s report reviewing how the pillar of U.S. democracy could have been so easily infiltrated is that the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) must better integrate intelligence into its operations through improved awareness, assessment, sharing, and response capabilities. We can look at effective protective intelligence as a three-part story: Act I is identifying threats; Act II is building those threats into a cohesive profile; Act III is sharing and acting on that information in order to make nothing happen. Applying this framework to January 6 helps us understand how we can and must do better and provides important takeaways for corporations.

Education & Training

Big data, meet physical security

Fred Burton

January 13, 2021

By the end of 2020, it is expected that more than 59 zettabytes of data will be generated globally. With access to data from sources such as social media, news and the dark web, encrypted connected security systems, and public and company-proprietary records and communications, physical security and safety professionals are challenged not only with parsing through this “big” data but transforming it into actionable intelligence.

Limiting business liabilities through a new era of protective intelligence

Fred Burton

October 12, 2020

It sounds simple: a company must be a safe place to work, and people will want to work for companies that make them feel safe. Companies have a duty of care and responsibility to keep employees safe, even as many work remotely. But as enterprises undergo digital transformation, physical security has at times been left behind (with legacy and outdated technology systems) despite a rise in threatening events and its increasing importance for corporations. Embracing digital protective intelligence and making safety a priority is not just a way to support wise corporate values, but given the potential loss of life and the cultural, bottom line and brand reputation damage that could occur, must be a mandate for modern business operations.