Wissen im Fokus

Mischa Zöberer is a former police and criminal investigator and an expert in corporate security management, with more than 30 years of operational experience - including service in Austria’s counter-terrorism unit Cobra. He is the founder and owner of Plenus Protect GmbH.

We’re excited to support innovation and talent at OSINT Shadows—the first event in Poland fully dedicated to Open Source Intelligence.

Matthew Hedger is a former CIA officer with a focus on organized crime, money laundering, and insider risk. He led covert operations worldwide for 17 years and is now a Partner at Busoni Global.

Jill Wick is a Security Awareness Consultant with a background in business psychology and cybercrime. She combines psychology, technology, and cybersecurity with a focus on the human factor. In her blog, podcast, and training courses, she explains how psychological manipulation works in cyberattacks and how to protect yourself against it.

New Feature: Echo-360 delivers fast, one-time background and risk checks using public data. Screen names, emails, phones, and companies for compliance, fraud, and reputational red flags. No subscriptions, just clear answers.

#OsintifyCON is the first conference of its kind dedicated entirely to Open Source Intelligence (OSINT). Scheduled for February 5, 2026, OsintifyCON is a high-level gathering of global OSINT experts and professionals from government agencies, private enterprises, law enforcement, and academia.

Anyone who wants to better understand people, identities, and risks can no longer ignore OSINT. In a Confare interview, Stephanie Böhm, Co-Founder of Norphluchs, explains how her platform supports companies in HR, compliance, and security—structured, GDPR-compliant, and delivering surprising insights from open sources.

Michael Schellhammer is a former Defense Department counterintelligence officer with deep expertise in technology protection and insider risk. He currently serves as a strategic advisor and partner at Artemist Advisory Group. In addition to his national-security work, he is an accomplished author whose work has appeared in outlets including the U.S. Army War College War Room, Lethal Minds Journal, Washington Post, and Army Times.

In this podcast, we explore how AI is reshaping SMEs, workflows, and compliance while creating new opportunities and job roles. We also discuss what Vienna needs to become Europe’s leading AI hub.

As cyber and insider threats rise, trust starts with people. Discover why person-based background checks are becoming essential in critical infrastructure and banking - and how the Norphluchs platform delivers GDPR-compliant, globally scalable screening solutions that turn open data into actionable security insights.

In this Podcast with Rebeca Mejia we dive deep into how our innovative do-it-yourself OSINT tool is set to revolutionize background checks for HR and security professionals.

Pre-employment checks aren't just good practice. They're essential for security, compliance, and smarter hiring decisions. Our latest post offers a step-by-step GDPR-aware checklist to help organisations screen candidates lawfully and effectively, with extra guidance for NIS-2 regulated sectors.

Björn Thönnessen is a former criminal investigator at Austrian Criminal Intelligence Service and US Embassy Vienna. He is an expert in darknet and cryptocurrency investigations and the current Head of Security Austria for REWE International.

Background checks in the EU are possible under GDPR - but only with the right safeguards. In our latest post, we share 10 practical steps for lawful, transparent, and proportionate background screening, from choosing the right legal basis to ensuring security and candidate fairness.

Matthew Hedger is a former CIA officer with a focus on organized crime, money laundering, and insider risk. He led covert operations worldwide for 17 years and is now a Partner with Artemist Advisory Group.

With NIS-2 now in force, people risk is central to compliance. Our latest post shares 10 reasons why pre-employment background checks are no longer optional but essential for secure, GDPR-compliant hiring.

Jill Wick combines psychology, technology, and cybersecurity with a focus on the human factor. In her blog, podcast, and training courses, she explains how psychological manipulation works in cyberattacks and how to protect yourself against it.

With the NIS-2 Directive raising cybersecurity requirements, the human factor is more critical than ever. GDPR-compliant background checks with Norphluchs help detect risks early, strengthen compliance, and build lasting trust.