The recent surge of undocumented children entering the United States has brought up several issues, one of which is human trafficking. With so many minors coming in unaccompanied, many are worried that the children will become victims of this growing problem. Although slavery seems to be a thing of the past, the number of trafficked humans is much larger than it was centuries ago and continues to rapidly increase worldwide. Part of the problem is lack of awareness and the disbelief that slavery could occur, especially in the Western world. “No country is immune,” warns the United Nations, “whether as a source, a destination or a transit point for victims of human trafficking.”
Trafficking Worldwide
Although the exact number of victims is unknown, researchers estimate the amount of trafficked people to be between 12.3-25 million worldwide. Some are forced into unpaid labor, working in dangerous conditions for little to no pay. Others become victims of sexual exploitation, forced to become prostitutes and earn money for a pimp. Unsurprisingly, the biggest motive for trafficking humans is money. According to experts, the total market value of human trafficking is $32 billion, with nearly a third of that amount coming from the actual sale of victims (United Nations).
Trafficking in the United States
Despite the official abolishing of slavery in 1865, thousands of people are still trafficked within the United State’s borders. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, nearly 300,000 children become victims of sexual exploitation alone. Many of them are runaways or were abducted from their homes. One in three teens are lured into prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home (National Runaway Hotline). And once a child or teenager is trafficked, especially across country or state borders, it can become much more difficult to find them .
Even though the outlook seems grim, many non-profit organizations and government agencies have begun to battle this epidemic. Recently, the FBI rescued nearly 170 child victims of sex trafficking and arrested 281 pimps (CBS News). Many of these children were never even reported missing, and could very well still be on the streets if not for the FBI’s crackdown. The Bureau’s Innocence Lost program has identified and recovered almost 3,600 children who were victims of sexual exploitation since its start in 2003.
Hiring a Private Investigator
Despite the efforts of the FBI and other agencies, around 2,300 people still go missing in the United States each day (Crime Library). Because the amount of missing persons cases is so high, many families choose to look for outside help. A private investigator will work with the family and friends of a missing person and help generate leads for law enforcement. Private eyes have the time and resources to focus on a specific case, and those that have experience finding missing children know what signs to look for. “What is the PI going to do that the police won’t? He is going to keep on searching,” says Jerrie Dean of Missing Persons of America. “He is getting paid to find the person, not the reason they left.”
According to Dean, hiring a private investigator can help even if the person isn’t found right away. “He brings that information back to the family, the family tells the media, the media reports it and then the police are renewed and following a new lead to [the victim],” says Dean. Part of the problem with missing persons cases is publicity. Too often, the media only broadcasts photos of missing people that will gain the most viewers, and eventually the attention peters out. Keeping a case alive can be the driving force in finding a missing person.
For several decades, animal rights organizations have provided a voice to the animals that couldn’t speak up for themselves. The fight against animal cruelty is ongoing, and despite new regulations, many animals are still kept in abusive conditions worldwide. One of the best ways to catch the offenders and put an end to the cruelty is by gathering video evidence of inhumane situations. Many of these animal rights organizations have begun hiring private investigators to do surveillance on locations that have been rumored to be abusive.
A Voice for those Who Have None
In 2009, TIMEran an article about a private eye who went undercover at a hog farm. The investigator, who went by the name “Pete”, gave up his dream of becoming a cop and left behind his family and friends to pursue a career as an animal rights investigator. His account of the farm and the ensuing court case were featured in an HBO documentary called Death on a Factory Farm. Thanks to his video evidence, Pete has been able to uncover horrible conditions at farms and factories of all kinds throughout the country. According to him, the worst was chicken farms, where barely living hens were tossed into the trash after having their necks broken.
Farms aren’t the only places being targeted by investigators and organizations alike. The Ringling Bros. Circus and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have been in an ongoing battle over claims of animal abuse. PETA has launched its own investigation into the circus, documenting video footage of circus staff beating elephants and gathering witness accounts from past circus employees. Aquariums and zoos have also been in the news after documentaries like Blackfish brought abuse at SeaWorld to the public’s eye. Zoos, kennels, and even private homes are also hot spots that may require an investigation.
Doing it the Right Way
Often, the people who look into these claims and infiltrate businesses aren’t investigators at all. And when someone who’s inexperienced in the field of investigation goes undercover, there’s the potential for serious consequences. Consider the story of Taylor Radig, an animal right’s activist who went undercover at a cattle company in Denver, Colorado. Radig was a contractor for Compassion Over Killing, an organization dedicated to uncovering and preventing animal cruelty. Her investigation was centered around gathering video evidence at the cattle farm. During her time there, Radig witnessed workers pushing and shoving day old calves, a clear sign of animal abuse. Once she presented authorities with her proof, those workers were charged with cruelty to animals. However, Radig soon found herself charged with the Class 1 misdemeanor as well, because she had neglected to report the abuse as soon as she had seen it.
Taylor Radig isn’t the only person to be charged with the very abuse she was trying to prevent, and she certainly won’t be the last. Some states have laws that require cruelty to be reported immediately, and those who view it and fail to tell authorities in time are just as guilty as the offenders. That’s why it’s important to hire someone who is experienced in the field. Even Pete, the private eye who investigated the hog farm, was unlicensed at the time of the article. He and others like him run the risk of criminal charges and lawsuits if they get caught, and the evidence might not hold up in court as well if it was obtained illegally.
For these reasons, several animal rights groups have decided that simply having an organization member go undercover isn’t enough. These groups are dealing with big companies, and investigations require careful planning that are performed according to the law. Hiring a licensed, experienced investigator who is familiar with the law can ensure that this video evidence is collected in a safe matter. After all, a court battle involving an amateur investigator takes away time and attention from the true victims here: the animals.
Integrity is the foundation for anyone in business but especially for those who are public servants or providing services to the public. Those working in the field of private investigation have a responsibility to their client and to the law to adhere to local, state, and federal law. At Lauth Investigations International based in Indianapolis, our private investigators know the importance of conducting every investigation in an ethical and professional way and work with our clients to ensure the best outcome of the case. ~ Thomas Lauth, Owner of Lauth Investigations
Please read the Williams Daily News report by clicking on the link below.
The day after Valentine’s Day of 2013, national news reports indicated a spike in new online dating memberships. Once somewhat frowned upon, looking for love online has become more socially acceptable within the last ten years.
Ann Friedman, a politics columnist for New York’s website, reported in her article Cupid’s Cursor, that one-third of America’s 90 million singles have used online dating services. While some find love, get married, living happily ever after, some have met with tragedy.
Robyn Gardner - Still Missing
Tragedies
Robyn Gardner, who I wrote about August 25, 2011 in an article Missing Persons Advocacy Network, remains missing after meeting Gary V. Giordano online. They met each other on an online dating site, and saw each other a couple times a month. Robyn considered Giordano a friend and agreed to take a vacation to Aruba where she vanished. Her family is still desperately searching for answers. After her disappearance, Giordano attempted to sue American Express for a $3.5 million insurance policy he took our on Robyn prior to their trip to Aruba.
Gary Giordano arrest photo. Courtesy of AP.
Robyn Gardner is just one of many people who have fell victim to an online predator. November 30, 2012, Michigan law enforcement announced the body of Leigh Swanson had been found in the woods, approximately 10 miles northwest of Midland. Her cause of death was a fatal gunshot.
Swanson, 45 years old, had met a man on an online dating site according to her mother, Beverly Kane. Kane said her daughter had expressed that she had a bad feeling prior to going on the date but made a call to her mother on November 18, 2012 from the man’s home indicating everything was fine and she would be home soon. She never arrived and no one knew whom she had gone on the date with.
Leigh Swanson
After Swanson was reported missing, authorities traced the call to a house in Edenville Township, and dispatched deputies to the location. When the deputies approached the front door, they heard a gunshot from inside and ordered anyone inside to come out with their hands over their heads. A man exited the home holding a cell phone in his hand. The man had been on the phone with 911 reporting his son had just shot himself. A search ensued, and police found Swanson’s body in a wooded area on a neighboring property.
While the positive stories about online dating far outnumber the bad, the harsh reality is that online dating can also put people at risk. Following are some tips that can help keep you safe. Remember you can never take too much precaution when it comes to your personal safety.
Protect Yourself
1. Always meet in a public place. Never invite the individual to pick you up from your home or accept an invitation to theirs.
2. Use the online dating site email system to communicate. Remember, the more information you give out the easier you are to find. Even providing a private email address gives someone enough information to find out who you are and where you live.
3. If you decide to meet personally, attempt to obtain as much verifiable information about the person prior to the meeting, such as name and phone number.
4. Make sure you let someone close to you know who you are meeting, where you are meeting, and as much information about the person as possible. You can even have your friend call you during the date. This gives your friends and family peace of mind but also sends a clear message to the individual you are with that others know where you are.
5. Do your homework. It is not unreasonable to conduct a background investigation on a potential mate and could lessen the danger to yourself and those you love.
6. No matter how comfortable you feel with the person, never leave your food or drink unattended.
While I am not discouraging anyone from online dating, I do encourage you to take every precaution necessary to protect yourself. We must not permit tragedies or the lives of victims to be in vain.
About the Author: Kym L. Pasqualini is founder of the Nation’s missing Children Organization in 1994 and the National Center for Missing Adults in 2000. She served as CEO until January 2010. Kym is recognized as an expert in the field of missing persons, and has spent 20 years working with families of missing persons and homicide victims, government officials, advocates, and national media. She is also a contributor to Lauth Investigations International and the Missing Persons Advocacy Network.
Cyber attacks on corporations are increasing at an alarming rate. From small businesses to global enterprises, no organization is immune. Every year, the number of reported data breaches, ransomware incidents, and unauthorized access events grows, and the damage isn’t just financial. Companies today operate in a highly connected digital environment, where a single vulnerability can be exploited by attackers to access sensitive data, disrupt services, or extort money. This isn’t just a technical problem; it’s a business risk that affects legal compliance, customer trust, and operational continuity.
According to IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average cost of a breach is now over $4.5 million, with ransomware accounting for a significant portion of that. What’s more alarming is that many organizations don’t even know they’ve been attacked until weeks or months later. This growing threat landscape is forcing corporations to rethink their cybersecurity posture and how they prepare for and respond to attacks. In this blog, we’ll explore what kinds of cyber attacks are on the rise, who is being targeted, why the threat is growing, and how companies can defend themselves more effectively.
What Types of Cyber Attacks Are Targeting Corporations Today?
Corporations face a wide range of cyber attacks, each with its own method of exploitation and impact. Understanding these helps businesses prepare better defenses. Here’s a breakdown of the most common types of attacks currently affecting companies:
1. Ransomware
Attackers encrypt a company’s data and demand payment to unlock it. These attacks often halt operations completely. Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) has made it easier for even low-skill attackers to carry out damaging breaches.
2. Phishing and Social Engineering
These attacks trick employees into revealing passwords, downloading malware, or transferring money. Phishing emails often mimic trusted contacts or company executives, and they remain one of the easiest ways to breach corporate systems.
3. Business Email Compromise (BEC)
BEC is a form of phishing that specifically targets corporate finance teams or decision-makers. Cybercriminals impersonate vendors, CEOs, or partners to trick staff into transferring funds or disclosing confidential information.
4. Insider Threats
Employees, contractors, or business partners with access to systems may leak data intentionally or through negligence. Insider threats are especially difficult to detect and prevent.
5. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)
In these attacks, servers are flooded with traffic to take systems offline. DDoS is often used to distract IT teams while attackers breach other systems or to cause reputational harm.
6. Supply Chain Attacks
Hackers infiltrate a trusted third-party provider to gain access to their client companies. The SolarWinds breach is a prime example, where attackers inserted malicious code into legitimate software updates.
Each of these attacks can devastate a corporation’s infrastructure, customer trust, and bottom line. Proactive threat detection, security awareness training, and a robust incident response plan are vital defenses.
Which Industries Are Most at Risk of Corporate Cyber Attacks?
Cybercriminals are strategic, they target industries where data is highly valuable or operations are sensitive to downtime. While any business can be targeted, some industries are hit more often due to the nature of their data and digital infrastructure.
Industry
Common Threats
Why Targeted
Healthcare
Ransomware, Data Theft
Sensitive patient records, urgent operations
Financial Services
Phishing, BEC, DDoS
Access to funds and client data
Legal Firms
Espionage, Insider Threats
Confidential client case files
Manufacturing
Ransomware, Supply Chain Breach
Just-in-time systems, IoT exposure
Retail & eCommerce
Credential Stuffing, POS Attacks
Customer data and payment info
Education
Data Theft, Ransomware
Personal student/staff information
Government
Espionage, Hacktivism
Political and national security data
These industries tend to hold highly sensitive data or rely on uninterrupted digital operations, making them attractive and often vulnerable targets. Moreover, attackers may hit these sectors with the goal of obtaining leverage over larger targets (e.g., attacking a law firm to get to its corporate clients). Therefore, industry-specific security standards and layered defense strategies are crucial.
What Are the Main Reasons for the Rise in Corporate Cyber Threats?
The increase in cyber attacks is not random, it’s the result of several converging factors that have created a perfect storm for corporations. One of the biggest causes is the shift to remote work and cloud computing. While these bring flexibility and scalability, they also introduce vulnerabilities due to inconsistent security policies and remote endpoints.
Another reason is the rapid digital transformation many companies have undergone without proper investment in cybersecurity. Legacy systems, outdated software, and poor patching practices leave doors open for attackers. Meanwhile, cybercriminal tools have become more advanced and accessible. Malware kits, phishing tools, and ransomware services are easily available on the dark web, allowing more individuals and groups to launch attacks with minimal effort.
Also, human error remains a top vulnerability. Poor password habits, lack of security awareness, and accidental data leaks all contribute to successful breaches. Additionally, nation-state actors and organized crime groups are investing in cyber warfare, using corporate systems as a battlefield for political or financial gain.
In short, corporate environments have become more complex and connected, but many security strategies haven’t kept pace. This imbalance is a key driver of the increase in attacks.
How Do Cyber Attacks Impact Corporations Beyond Financial Loss?
The financial costs of a cyber attack are well known, ransom payments, recovery costs, legal fees, but the long-term impacts often cut much deeper. One major consequence is reputational damage. When customers lose trust in a company’s ability to protect their data, they take their business elsewhere. According to a PwC study, 87% of consumers will not do business with a company they don’t trust to handle their data responsibly.
Another impact is regulatory consequences. Companies may face fines for failing to comply with data protection laws like GDPR, HIPAA, or CCPA. In some cases, executives may even be held personally liable for negligence.
Cyber attacks also cause operational disruptions. When systems are down, employees can’t work, supply chains pause, and customer services stall. These interruptions can delay revenue, reduce customer satisfaction, and weaken competitive advantage.
Finally, there’s the loss of intellectual property. If attackers steal product designs, trade secrets, or internal strategies, it can significantly affect a company’s market position.
In essence, a cyber attack can ripple through every layer of an organization, making prevention and response not just IT issues, but core business priorities.
What Can Corporations Do to Protect Themselves Against Cyber Attacks?
Cybersecurity is no longer optional, it’s essential. To protect against rising threats, corporations need to adopt a multi-layered defense strategy that covers people, processes, and technology.
Here are some key measures every corporation should take:
Implement Strong Access Controls: Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all systems and limit user privileges.
Keep Systems Up-to-Date: Regularly patch software, hardware, and firmware to close known vulnerabilities.
Conduct Employee Security Training: Teach staff how to recognize phishing, avoid suspicious links, and handle sensitive data.
Invest in Security Tools: Firewalls, intrusion detection systems, endpoint protection, and security information and event management (SIEM) tools are vital.
Run Regular Audits and Penetration Tests: These help uncover weaknesses before attackers do.
Develop an Incident Response Plan: Know who does what when a breach occurs. A documented, rehearsed plan saves time and minimizes damage.
Use Zero Trust Architecture: Assume no user or device is trustworthy by default, even inside your network.
Companies that invest in prevention today avoid massive damage tomorrow. Cybersecurity isn’t a one-time project, it’s a continuous practice.
How Can Private Investigators or Intelligence Firms Help After a Cyber Attack?
When a cyber attack hits, time is everything. Private investigators and digital intelligence firms play a critical role in helping corporations understand what happened and how to recover. Their first step is typically digital forensics, gathering and analyzing evidence from affected systems to understand the attack’s scope, method, and origin.
These investigators can also help attribute the attack, identifying who was behind it. While attribution is difficult, OSINT (Open Source Intelligence), HUMINT (Human Intelligence), and digital signatures can often provide clues. Knowing who is responsible helps in legal proceedings and in preventing future attacks.
Investigators also gather evidence for law enforcement or insurance claims, and can support litigation if needed. They work alongside internal security teams or act independently if insider threats are suspected. In addition, they advise on prevention strategies, such as auditing current systems and recommending security enhancements.
If your organization has been attacked, involving an experienced cyber investigator can make the difference between a quick recovery and long-term damage.
Are Cyber Attacks Going to Get Worse in the Future?
Unfortunately, yes, the indicators suggest cyber attacks will continue to grow in frequency and severity. Several emerging technologies are contributing to this trend. For example, AI-powered hacking tools can now craft more convincing phishing emails and adapt to security measures in real-time. Deepfakes are starting to be used in business scams, where video or voice impersonation tricks executives and finance teams.
On the other side, quantum computing may eventually break current encryption methods, making today’s secure systems obsolete. Governments and cybersecurity firms are already preparing for this risk, but most businesses are still far behind.
Additionally, cyber warfare between nations is becoming more frequent, and private corporations are often collateral damage. Many attacks, like the NotPetya ransomware, were deployed by state-backed actors but affected private enterprises globally.
In response, corporations must plan for the future by investing in adaptive security, regularly updating systems, and monitoring threats in real time. Cybersecurity is not a static solution, it requires evolving strategies and constant vigilance.
What Should Corporations Do Immediately After a Cyber Attack?
When a cyber attack happens, acting fast and following a clear process can limit the damage. Here are the key steps corporations should take:
Isolate the Affected Systems Immediately disconnect compromised systems from the network to prevent further spread.
Engage Your Incident Response Team Activate your pre-planned response protocol. Assign roles and begin documentation.
Notify Legal, Compliance, and Leadership Inform decision-makers and prepare for regulatory notifications if customer data is involved.
Call in External Experts Bring in forensic investigators or cybersecurity firms to understand the breach.
Preserve Evidence Avoid rebooting systems or deleting logs. Everything may be needed for investigation or legal purposes.
Communicate Transparently Inform customers, partners, or the public as required. Hiding a breach often causes more damage in the long run.
Review and Patch Vulnerabilities Once the breach is contained, fix the security gaps that were exploited.
Report to Law Enforcement Report ransomware or fraud to local authorities or national cybercrime units.
Having a clear, practiced incident response plan in place is essential for managing a crisis calmly and effectively.
Where Can Companies Learn More or Get Help with Cybersecurity?
Organizations looking to improve their cybersecurity posture or recover from an incident have many resources available:
Government & Industry Resources
CISA: U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
FBI IC3: Internet Crime Complaint Center for reporting cybercrime
Cybersecurity Firms
Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs)
Incident response and penetration testing services
Threat monitoring platforms
Investigation & Intelligence Services
Digital forensics specialists
Private investigation firms like Lauth Investigations
Corporate risk and compliance consultants
Learning never stops in cybersecurity. Continuous training, ongoing assessments, and partnerships with experienced firms are your best defense.
Need Help Investigating a Cyber Attack on Your Business?
If your organization has experienced a cyber attack or you want to audit your vulnerabilities before one happens, our experts at Lauth Investigations International can help. With decades of experience in corporate investigations and a deep understanding of digital forensics, we help companies recover from cyber incidents and strengthen their defenses. Contact us here for a confidential consultation.
