Breadcrumbs and Red Flags: Spotting Danger Before It Hits
I began my career in a place where some of the worst moments of people’s lives unfolded —first as a social worker in a hospital emergency room, and then as a firefighter and medic. I sat with families as they absorbed devastating news. I responded to acts of violence, whether premeditated or spontaneous, that left lives permanently altered and often destroyed. I saw what happens when violence erupts unexpectedly. Those early experiences left a mark. They taught me that pain can’t always be prevented, but with the right tools, the right timing, and the right information, tragedy sometimes can be avoided.
Today, the threats we face are evolving. Violence doesn’t always start with a raised voice or a clenched fist—it often starts online. Bad actors, including those who are ideologically motivated, mentally unwell, or simply angry, now have unprecedented access to personal information through public and obscure corners of the internet. Home addresses, family photos, workplace details, social media histories—these digital breadcrumbs make it alarmingly easy to find and target someone. It may be someone they know and have a personal grievance against, or it may be a complete stranger who, for reasons that may never be known, becomes an obsessive target. As we’ve witnessed recently in tragedies in the Midwest and in New York, the target may be a legislative body or corporation, but it is the innocent who suffer. And while elected officials, corporate leaders, and public servants carry out their duties in the light, threats to their safety can gather in the dark.
At Bent Ear Solutions (BES), we specialize in illuminating those shadows. Our team helps government agencies, corporations, and elected leaders identify hidden online threats before they escalate into harm. We leverage advanced open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools to monitor the open web, deep web, and dark web for indicators of intent, hostility, and personally identifiable information (PII). We flag vulnerabilities—like a judge’s home address appearing on a criminal forum or a CEO being doxed on social media—and work with our clients to empower them to take action before danger arrives on their doorstep.
Our mission is not just to identify the threat, but to give organizations the foresight to stop it. That mission is perhaps most clearly demonstrated in our work with the U.S. Federal government. BES supports a comprehensive risk reduction program that protects thousands of employees, facilities, and high-profile officials. We provide program management, multi-hazard risk analysis, geospatial support, and strategic planning—all backed by a real-time OSINT capability that detects threats across the web’s darkest corners. We coordinate closely with security agencies to escalate and respond to credible risks swiftly, helping safeguard those who serve our nation.
I’ve seen what it looks like when help arrives too late. That’s why our work at BES matters so much to me personally. Every report we generate, every threat we help to neutralize, every vulnerability we close—it’s one more opportunity to protect lives and preserve peace before tragedy strikes.
In today’s digital world, awareness is protection. BES gives you that awareness. Let us help you stay ahead of the threat and turn awareness into action.
About the Author
Greg Brunelle served as a firefighter and medic before working as a county emergency manager and fire coordinator. He was appointed to the NYS Office of Emergency Management in 2007 as Deputy Director of Preparedness, later serving as Executive Deputy and Deputy of Operations, and culminating in his appointment as Director soon after Superstorm Sandy struck the state. Greg has subsequently served in executive positions with private sector consulting firms, leading initiatives across the nation, as well as working with early-stage start-ups to bring emerging risk management technology to city and prefecture governments across the US and Japan.
