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Fortifying Commonwealth Systems through Compliance with AS 4811- 2022 and PSPF 12, and Embracing Proven Screening Strategies

1. Introduction With insider threats posing a significant challenge in the Health industry, it is imperative to establish rigorous user screening processes that align with Australian Standard 4811-2022 and Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF) 12, ensuring the security and integrity of commonwealth systems – such as the My Health Record system. This article highlights the […]


HR tech trends of 2024: Four key areas to watch

Cyber Security Risk Audits start to look at the HR workforce.  A recent study out of Cylab, 69% of respondents had more than 5 malicious, high-concern insider incidents. 44% of businesses had more than 10 incidents. 11% had more than 100 incidents, such as financial fraud, sabotage, data theft, or workplace violence. In 2021 this trend won’t stop. Cyber security is always going to be […]


Show me Evidence of your Insider Threat Program (ITP).

Show me Evidence of your Insider Threat Program (ITP). That is a question an aspiring Defence Industry Security Program (DISP) company will be asked. Then a Big 4 consulting firm will more than likely audit this element on your first or second anniversary. Do you know that your Insider Threat Program will need to have […]


Managing Personnel Hazards: The Unseen Risk in Critical Infrastructure Supply Chains

Introduction As the global focus sharpens on the security of critical infrastructure, one aspect often remains underrepresented: the potential risks arising from personnel within the supply chain. Members of the Defence Industry Security Program (DISP) have highlighted these concerns, especially when interfacing with the Critical Infrastructure Security Centre (CISC). This article dissects the personnel-related hazards […]


AGSVA Baseline vs PSPF Goldilocks Clearance – the requirements compared. Plus Five Recruitment Trends to Watch.

FIVE Recruitment Trends to Watch: 1. Australian Standards for employment screening (AS 4811-2006) will be updated, after 15 years, to include adjudication. 2. Critical Infrastructure expanded & positive security obligations (personnel vetting) tightened – covering 1.6+m employees. 3. The expanded Critical Infrastructure sector – Defence Industry – must sponsor & manage their own AGSVA security […]


Why Should Businesses Use A Managed Personnel Security Services Provider? MPSSP vs MSSP

You can utilise an MPSSP, like Cleard Plus, to ensure safety and compliance, while enabling your security cleared workforce to focus on more valued projects. You may have heard of a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) with a dedicated Security Operations Centre – SOC. Enter Australia’s first dedicated Managed Personnel Security Service Provider, MPSSP. Think […]


Cyber threats keeping CEOs up at night

Exploring what the right cybersecurity path forward looks like when people are involved.  70,604 cyber security professionals were asked to respond to the question, ‘What Keeps You Awake at Night’, with the option to select one of three possible answers.​ a. Third Parties​ b. Insider Threats​ c. Nation State Actors 55% of cyber professionals are worried about their own staff, their own colleagues. This echoes what Terry Halvorsen, the former CIO of the US Department of Defense, said in recent Sydney conference: “The single threat to your system is people. Some of it is not even malicious. People ask what keeps me up at night? It’s people.” He then recommended business leaders to spend their cyber budget on people – before tech. That is an important statement from a person who controlled a USD 42 Billion annual  budget.    Background: Low hanging fruit are external people.   The typical corporate network topography is wide and that means a lot of potential entry points if left unsecured or vulnerable. The work from home (WFH) trend has exacerbated  this. The last thing any senior leader needs is the fallout from a major security breach or attack. We are seeing near daily headlines littered with cyber breach incidents and  ransomware of well-known brands. Closer to home they might even be third party supply chain partners.    Internal threats can cost many times more than an external attack.   Cyber professionals are aware that staff are normally, by default, accessing sensitive networks and information from anywhere, for the foreseeable future. The climate in which potential internal breaches – negligence or intentional – is elevated. Tech solutions try to secure all the hardware that the internal user accesses. This is difficult when  trusted employees WFH and use unsecured home computers, home printers, home USB sticks etc. Other tech solutions include user behaviour motioning software to detect and  alert when internal people are in the corporate network system and doing the wrong thing.    The role of trust cybersecurity     […]


Critical Infrastructure Clearance

The relentless compromising of the private sector, which remains a soft but strategic target, has diluted the conventional boundaries of conflict, forcing the government to enhance its posture. Australia is not immune and there is clear recognition that we need to do more to protect our nation against attacks on our critical infrastructure. The Parliamentary […]


How the Mining Industry’s Spy and Sex Pest Register Can Work

Australia’s multibillion-dollar mining industry has been accused of failing to protect women from predatory sexual behaviour. Sexual allegations and misconduct on mining worksites are a blight on the reputation of the whole industry. A parliamentary inquiry was shocked and appalled at the scale of the problem, saying victims had faced targeted violence, stalking, grooming and [...]

Risk Management Program Rules – Home Affairs – Critical Infrastructure

How to implement and navigate the Critical Infrastructure Personnel Security Rules. The mandatory Critical Infrastructure Risk Management Plan (CIRMP) for critical infrastructure assets will increase security obligations for Critical Infrastructure Entities & “systems of national significance”. CIRMP obligations will require entities to (a) identify hazards for which there is a “material risk” that the hazard […]


Personnel security is fundamental to good business.

Personnel security is fundamental to good business. Most personnel strive to conduct themselves in an ethical and professional manner. However, it would be negligent to ignore the risk of someone deliberately causing harm or exploiting their positions of trust. The ‘trusted insider’ represents a real and enduring risk to everyday business practices. It is an [...]

About us

Mission: To Strengthen Australia’s Integrity for Society’s Betterment Vision: To bring about an unbroken state of affairs, where integrity empowers the performance and prosperity of government, businesses and not-for-profits. Strategy: To strengthen Australia’s national integrity system through faster, cheaper, smarter, better personnel vetting practices which enables the right person to move into the right position […]


At a Glance: What We Do

​Our Background Suitability Interview Questions relate to: Background & Family structure Education & Employment Personal Relationships Allegiance & Loyalty Substance Use Illegal conduct Emotional health Financial Personal conduct ​CV Check Which then is filtered through the lens of Attorney General’s Suitability Standards: Guideline A: External loyalties, influences and associations Guideline B: Personal relationships and conduct […]


Now you know.

So what do you guys do, again? Can we ask you a question first? Did you know that employers can experience massive pain when hiring the wrong person? The cost is huge and the pre-employment & rehiring market is a multi-million dollar industry. In some industries, rehiring market it up to 40%. These are costs […]


Vetting the Cleard.life way: The secret sauce.

Vetting the Cleard.life way: The secret sauce. When evaluating a candidate’s suitability, Cleard life considers the information through the lens of the Home Affairs Adjudicative Guidelines (AG). In addition to brief introductory explanations for each guideline, the lists potentially disqualifying conditions and mitigating conditions, which are very useful in evaluating a candidate’s suitability. These guidelines […]


Loss Prevention and Profit Protection strategies that work for Retail.

Emerging standards and technology can be used to mitigate people risk in the retail environment and increase the quality of your candidates by 70%. We know how devastating employee theft can be: 30% of business closures blame this.     Then there are data breaches. 1 in 4 data breaches are caused by malicious employees (not accidental […]


How Your Charity Can Strengthen Its Safety Measures With Ease

If you represent or work for a charity, then this article is for you. These types of questions are often asked by not-for-profits, about our service. Program Overview – Please give an overview of the program, including the beneficiaries the program aims to support. We are on a mission to help charities create Trusted Workforces. [...]

Critical Infrastructure entities must now hunt for spies.

Critical Infrastructure entities must now hunt for spies. Preemployment screening does not hunt for spies. The PSPF does. We do.   Meet Bruce. He works for your critical infrastructure company. He is like many workers in Australia: born in another country, studied at a great university there but then moved here to make a life […]


DISP Member: Are Your Personnel Security (PERSEC) Measures (AS 4811) Suitable?

Are Your Personnel Security (PERSEC) Measures AS4811 Suitable? 20% to 30% of job applications contain some form of false information according to a recent report of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). Nothing in the report suggests ICAC’s statistics relate solely to NSW or to the public service. Very likely similar issues will be […]


Security Awareness and Cyber Awareness briefings for every candidate

Security Awareness briefings for every candidate … for free! It is important for employers to know and understand that candidate’s background is not filled with unmitigated risk. However, new employees to the organisation might not fully understand or comprehend the employer’s security posture and culture. That’s where a security & cyber awareness mini course comes […]


How do I prevent a malicious insider threat?

How do I prevent a malicious insider threat? 1:3 data breaches are due to malicious trusted insiders. 90% of senior managers are worried about the insider threat.   A malicious insider's system access and knowledge of business processes can make them hard to detect. But there are practices you can put in place to reduce [...]

How the Cleard Life ‘truth telling’ environment is set up.

A Suitability Assessment Interview (SAI) can take as little as 40 minutes over the phone for the most Basic level assessment (CL0) and perhaps up to four hours for the human-only, highest-level, face-to-face interview (CL3). Our Vetting Officers tell candidates that they will be looking for evidence of qualities such as loyalty, honesty and reliability, […]


A Guide to Australian Standards for Employment Screening

A Guide to Australian Standards for Workforce Screening Employment screening processes are beyond the standard interview process done by HR, recruitment companies or the hiring manager. Employment screening requires extensive resources and systems designed to uncover information that the employer requires to make an informed decision about the eligibility and suitability of a candidate – […]


Personnel Security (PERSEC) still remains a challenge for DISP Members

Personnel Security (PERSEC) still remains a challenge for DISP Members. The Defence Industry Security Program normally requires a security clearance at some level to work on defence projects and get access to sensitive information – but not at Entry Level. Recent changes to DISP means that your personnel security measures must include an initial suitability assessment, […]


5 Things To Present and Position Your Company As A Trusted Third-Party Partner

5 Things To Present and Position Your Company As A Trusted Third-Party Partner Most of the B2B companies look for long term relationships with big companies. It is not an easy job to gain their trust to grab long term contract. Assume a big client of yours’ wants appropriate personnel security measures to be in […]


Adjudicative Guidelines – Secret Knowledge Revealed

The Home Affairs Adjudicative Guidelines are an important element to any suitability assessment. Here are the elements and concrete examples of each factor area and the frequency of detection. ​ 1/7 Factor area: External loyalties, influences and associations. A security risk may exist when the clearance subject or their immediate family, including cohabitants, and other [...]

How to increase the quality of your candidates by 70%.

Personnel screening isn’t just about weeding out untrustworthy individuals or high-risk workers or to reduce the likelihood of counter-productive workplace behaviours from manifesting. For both employee and employer, the goal of pre employment screening is to find a good match for both parties in order to ensure a positive, productive working relationship for everyone. With […]


Critical Infrastructure: Public Submissions React to Trusted Insider Risk Mitigation Options.

                  Trusted insiders are potential, current or former employees or contractors who have legitimate access to information, techniques, technology, assets or premises. Trusted insiders can intentionally or unknowingly assist external parties in conducting activities against the organisation or can commit malicious acts of self-interest. Such action by […]


What is the difference between hard data and soft data?

Primary Source Verification (PSV) is a known as a ‘hard data’ screening process that involves liaising directly with original issuing sources. Hard data are documents that include, but are not limited to, driver’s licences, education degrees, work permits, passports, employment certificates and practice licenses, bankruptcy checks, police checks, credit checks, digital footprint social media check, […]


“The scheme should screen”. Why a Cyber Security Accreditation or Certification scheme needs to include personnel suitability assessments.

The Australian Government is developing our nation’s next Cyber Security Strategy as part of its commitment to protecting Australians from cyber threats. The new strategy will be a successor to Australia’s landmark 2016 Cyber Security Strategy, which set out the Government’s 4 year plan to advance and protect our interests online backed by a $230 […]


Your Candidate Has A Criminal Record: Now What?

Your Candidate Has A Criminal Record: Now What? Court Convictions, Disclosable Court Outcomes: Individualised Risk Assessments – the new Australian Standard AS4811 way. Research has found that about most employers do not perform any type of individualised assessment when criminal convictions are present. Therefore an adverse or derogatory Police check “Result” from one of 165 […]


How to Protect Your Company From the Cost of a Bad Hire.

How to Protect Your Company From the Cost of a Bad Hire. How Much Can A Bad Hire Cost Your Company? Why do organisations hire poorly? Luckily, bad hires and the heavy financial burden associated with them can be prevented before they occur. You can: Identify the characteristics of a bad hire BEFORE it happens. […]


Preemployment ‘Best Practice Guide’ for Social Media Screening.

Preemployment ‘Best Practice Guide’ for Social Media Screening. A digital footprint is the unique pattern of electronic transactions made by an individual’s publicly accessible online presence. An assessment of an individual’s digital footprint can provide insight into their life, interactions and personal views. This information may identify behaviours of concern or provide further assurance that […]


5 Ways Technology is Changing the Face of HR

5 Ways Technology is Changing the Face of HR With ground-breaking HR technology solutions all around us, we’re seeing a tech boom that is fundamentally reshaping the way we work — and how we think about HR. Some of the most interesting — and disruptive — examples are powered by artificial intelligence and automation. AI […]


5 things every HR Professional should know about Background Checks

It is important for any organisation to conduct proper background checks on prospective employees to ensure only the right candidates are hired. Background checks of potential employees can prove to be an eye-opening and useful tool for all types and sizes of business. They can actually help HR with making the right decisions on hiring, […]


Is Ignoring a Candidate’s Digital Footprint Negligent Hiring?

Is ignoring a candidate’s digital footprint negligent hiring? Social media screening in the hiring process is now commonplace. We understand its usefulness in protecting employer brand and business reputation. But we’re also aware of its hidden dangers, potential biases, and legal traps. World governments have differing stances on the practice. Some search the internet to […]


A complete guide to Pre-Employment Screening

  Pre-employment screening is one of the essential steps of the hiring process. Conducting these screening procedures can significantly increase the chance of finding a perfect employee for the job. The times when hiring decisions were made solely based on the interview process are long gone. Nowadays, people are relying more and more on pre-employment […]


PRUDENT EMPLOYERS conduct background checks, are yours legally compliant?

PRUDENT EMPLOYERS can conduct checks of a candidate’s police/criminal background, drug use, alcohol habits, mental health, litigious conduct (eg. against employers), credit history and other checks and tests prior to making a job offer. However, it is important to ensure that the screening company and their processes comply with the Australian Privacy Principles, anti-discrimination legislation […]


Society demands a higher standard of personnel screening & vetting

Society demands a higher standard of personnel screening & vetting Inside the recommendations of three Royal Commissions (Sexual abuse, Banking and Aged care) that these sectors require a higher standard of personnel screening & vetting. In other words Society demands a higher level of assurances. Society now trades on trust, but we don’t overtly check […]


To get a job you need a clearance. To get a clearance your need a job.

COMMENT FROM THE CATCH 22 ARTICLE: “The ENTIRE contracting community would LOVE a “direct to candidate” shop-front from AGSVA, and an elimination of the need to be already placed in a role that requires a security clearance a given level. We’d all be positively vetted. Make security vetting a personal obligation like a white card, […]


Five markers to identify whether a candidate is lying in a job interview.

Identifying whether interviewee is truthful is one of the biggest challenges to human resource professionals. With the experience gained from screening thousands of candidates, we have identified five markers to identify candidate’s truthfulness which will make your work easier. Observe the following markers in the interview to figure out the truthfulness of the candidate Vague […]


Which Suitability Clearance level is right for your personnel?

Which Suitability Clearance level is right for your personnel? How do you select the right one? Does everyone in your organisation need the same level? Answer: Great questions. Using a ‘Scope and Effect’ grading methodology, you can self-assess and guide your organisation in classifying the appropriate level to match your personnel risk management. EXTREMELY LOW […]


Occupations and Cleard Life Clearance Levels – a helpful guide.

Occupations and Cleard Life Clearance Levels – a helpful guide. Which Cleard Life Suitability Clearance level is right for your personnel? How do you select the right one? Does everyone in your organisation need the same level? We have used a ‘Scope and Effect’ grading methodology in a previous post to help self-assess and guide […]


Propel HR and Recruitment practices forward by adopting a robust employment screening process

Rigorous Employment Screening A Must Stringent compliance obligations for the banking and finance industry mean it is imperative to implement rigorous employee background screening when hiring.  As illustrated by recent high profile cases, falsification of employment history is a growing issue across a range of industries. One solution is to use a background checking company, […]


Working with Children or Vulnerable Persons? Discover Hidden Risk with Cleard Life

We have served the Commonwealth Government for over 10 years conducting national security clearances up to the highest levels. Our vetting officers are experts in lie detection and screening out people who cannot be trusted based on their background, character and other vulnerabilities.   If you have children, we know how concerned parents can be […]


1 in 50 workers are on ICE. What can you do to safeguard your organisation?

SafeWork Laboratories* forensic toxicologist Andrew Leibie said almost a quarter of a million Australians were high on ice at work “on any given day.” The number of workers testing positive nationally increased from 1:66 in 2016 to 1:52 in 2017, equating to some 240,000 workers nationwide. In safety sensitive industries it is worse: 1:45 workers […]


Background Checks Don’t Need to be Time Consuming, Costly, Difficult or Compromised.

The above info-graphic is an example of a large “QUICK AND EASY” verification company. We do not dispute their facts on the left-hand side. But here is our response to the driving factors: Manually Checking: Cleard.life Response: If 53% of CVs have false or misleading items, then a ‘manual’ check (using real life vetting officers) […]


Police checks during the recruitment process – to do or not to do?

​Guest #1: Our company has been discussing the necessity of obtaining a Police check for successful applicants, as part of our recruitment process. We discussed which roles a Police check should be requested for, and we concluded that whilst support roles, such as finance, HR and technology require trust and responsibility for the Company’s confidential/sensitive data, […]


Are traditional background checks enough, in our complex modern workplaces?

Background checks are essential for the trust and safety of an organisation, but is a cheap & fast criminal history check truly enough to ensure that you are doing all you can to prevent workplace risk? Australian Standards 4811 Workforce Screening says ‘no’. Consider the new wave of threats, sometimes called counter-productive workplace behaviours, and […]


Watch Out! These 3 Background Check Mistakes Will Cost You.

Many small business leaders face major issues when choosing their background check options. And the result is often costly. When you’re a small business owner, choosing the right background checking service is a more demanding and difficult task than it is for a huge corporation, which can draw upon dedicated, more expensive resources. This is […]


Sussing Out a Candidate: What is Your Definition of an Employee Background Check?

We saw an article recently about some handy tips before securing a Candidate: “Once you have advertised the position, narrowed down the field and finally identified the perfect candidate, before you make them an offer, here is a check-list of four useful tips to help you through the last important pre-employment screening phase.” 1. Check […]


How to add a background screening option to your unbundled recruitment offering.

As a Recruitment Agency, consider how you can stay ahead of the trends and protect your clients. Security, ICT breaches, personal safety, fraud, adverse mental health, financial issues, illegal conduct all risk derailing your recruitment recommendations. We discover hidden risk. Personnel security is fundamental to good business. Most personnel strive to conduct themselves in an […]


Appointing A New Board Member. Why Vetting Your Board Members is an Important First-Step.

Board Member Vetting: A Search for Disqualifying Attributes? While the concept of personnel vetting is usually giving someone a more intense “going over” and is becoming the norm (more than 350,000 public sector personnel have security clearances), vetting should be the standard when it comes to board recruiting. Vetting prospective board members that originate from […]


Are you Naked? Is Cyber Insurance a Must?

Are you Naked? Is Cyber Insurance a Must?   * 15% of SME’s have cyber insurance. * 1.955 million Australian businesses are not insured. * 70% percent of all businesses are unprepared for a cyber-attack. * 34% of breaches involve malicious internal actors. * 59% of orgs experience at least one malicious insider attack over […]


5 Reasons Why Your NDA is not enough

  Kevin Mitnick, famed computer hacker and computer security consultant put it this way: “They may know that they shouldn’t give out certain information, but the fear of not being nice, the fear of appearing ignorant, the fear of a perceived authority figure – all these are triggers, which can be used by a social […]


Shying away from checking the background of employees? Here’s why.

The need for employee background checks is very well documented and yet 65% of Public Servants do not have an official clearance. However, we expect that most of private and non-profit organisations incorporate, at least at some level, an employee background check in their hiring process. Perhaps it is a Police check, or a credit […]


How Do I Start Getting My People Through A Fit and Proper Check?

How Do I Start Getting My People Through A Cleard.life Check? 1. Book a Discovery Meeting with the Team.  2. Discuss your screening requirements to see if we help – we can discuss products, services, process and terms of Service etc.  3. Nominate your Candidates (email, excel spreadsheet, online request form) 4. Receive the Results […]


How we can work with IRAP Assessors.

When it comes to personnel and IT, it’s a high-risk environment right now.   9 in 10 data breaches involve trusted insiders – mainly to due to negligence 1 in 5 data breaches are caused by malicious employees 1 in 5 lie on their job resumes 1 in 5 had misrepresented their qualifications 3 in […]


Stop: Don’t Hire that Menace!

How many times you have made the final decision to hire a Candidate for a critical role in your company? We know this is one of the hardest jobs to perfect. They say 1 in 4 companies have made a poor hiring decision in the past year and 1 in 3 small businesses fail due […]


Why does the shared economy need a background vetting standard?

It turns out that a AUD50 police check does not buy a lot of comfort or trust these days. And the sharing economy companies and governments around the world know it. For example, 1 in 9 applicants were rejected. Ouch. Under a new state background check process in Massachusetts, 8,206 people who applied to drive […]


Significant changes in Public Sector Hiring are afoot: Are you ready?

If you recruit for the public sector, then you need to be aware of changes that have just occurred. In short, you cannot just simply recommend the best candidate for job, based on merit, anymore. You now need to consider the Candidate’s ‘suitability’ before they are offered a job. Let that sink in. Recruitment needs […]


Security Expert: “In general, the greatest data security risk is posed to organizations by insiders, as they have access to sensitive information on a regular basis, and may know how that information is protected.”

Joseph Steinberg is a cybersecurity expert and entrepreneur who founded the information security companies, Green Armor Solutions and SecureMySocial. He invented several popular cybersecurity technologies in use today, writes a column on cybersecurity for Inc., and is the author of several books on information security. Q. “In general, the greatest data security risk is posed […]


The Importance of Organisational Reputation. What it is and what you can do to increase it.

The reputation of your industry and your membership organisation is essential to its survival. The trust and confidence the community (industry) will have a direct and profound effect on your organisations’ standing and longevity. Occasionally, member organisations large and small, will need to respond to varying crises to maintain the reputation and standing of the […]


How to get a Suitability Clearance … for Free.

How to get a Suitability Clearance … for Free. If you are involved in the procurement process for your organisation, you may like to see how our Suitability Clearance can be incorporated into your tender process … at no cost to you. Often, tenderers or contractors to government are only required to have their key […]


What do you mean suitable?

What do you mean suitable? We mean suitable as defined by the Attorney General’s  Protective Security Policy Framework PSPF12 and PSPF13 and the related Adjudicate Guidelines & associated vetting protocols which includes the whole-of-person concept. Put simply, we look at minimum integrity requirements such as criminal/illegal activity involvement, workplace conduct and any criminal associations. Let’s […]


Phone Call: What is your security strategy?

  A Hypothetical one Sided Phone call between friends, goes something like this: Caller A: So, what’s your security strategy? Caller A: What do I mean? Well, IBM says 44.5% of breaches are caused by malicious trusted insiders. Not fat fingers, not clicking on a wrong hyper-link, not accidents, not Russian hackers. Intentional. Caller A: So let me […]


Manage your third party security risks.

Q. Does your internal security program integrate with your contract management process to ensure that third party risks are identified and managed? All organisations should consider supply chain risk management. If a supplier, manufacturer, distributor or retailer (i.e. businesses that constitute a supply chain) are involved in products or services used by an organisation, there […]


Job Interview Questions That You Can’t ask … But We Can.

Job Interview Questions That You Can’t ask … But We Can. It’s good to know the difference between Recruiters and the Cleard.life Advanced Background Investigation Agency. What you, as a job interviewer, cannot ask: HR Interviewer: What is your marital status? Cleard.life: We can ask, in order to assess Trustworthiness and Loyalty. HR Interviewer: Have you […]


Pushback: We don’t require your background vetting service

CLEARD.LIFE: As a leader in national security clearances, we also have a B2B pre-employment screening solution that can be incorporated into the HR and recruitment process aimed to improve, develop, maintain and create relationships with current and new clients. HR COMPANY: As a global Recruitment and HR Services organisation, we already have internal procedures and […]


How vetting can augment and supplement the way your organisation reaches membership admission determinations.

How vetting can augment and supplement the way your organisation reaches membership admission determinations. Membership has its privileges. And members have responsibilities – like ensuring they do not throw the entire organisation (and sometimes the industry) into disrepute. So logically, whoever allows members into the organisation have an even greater responsibility to ensure that the […]


Digital Innovation: Australia’s $315b opportunity.

​Digital Innovation: Australia’s $315b opportunity. The new report from Alpha Beta for CSIRO/Data61, called “Digital Innovation: Australia’s $315b opportunity” identifies eight strategic areas where Australian businesses can succeed in creating new digital products or services. These opportunities are precision healthcare, digital agriculture, data-driven urban management, cyber-physical security, supply chain integrity, proactive government, legal informatics and […]


​The research is in: Criminal History Checks are “Futile”:

  The research is in: Criminal History Checks are Futile. A Response to the “Scoping Review: Evaluations of Pre-employment Screening Practices.” by the University of Melbourne. Summary: Basic Screening practices which include basic referee checks and “black mark” database checks are futile.  Enhanced Screening must now be the new normal. Research: The effectiveness of criminal background checks, as […]


How #regtech + suitability clearance = PERSEC compliance.

How #regtech + suitability clearance = PERSEC1 compliance. We are a team suitability experts, engineers and data scientists passionate about building better solutions to stop trusted insiders and counter-productive workplace behaviours from disrupting your workplace, operations and reputation. In this instance, we focus our attention on the #regtech trend and how our solution can apply […]


91% are doing background checks. This is why.

In an Ohio-based Employers Resource Association* survey… 91 percent are using background checks. That seems high. But what s.p.e.c.i.f.i.c.a.l.l.y. does that mean? A Google search? Police check? Facebook search? LinkedIn page view? A 2 minute call to the a previous boss? But more importantly, what do you do when you receive an adverse result? To […]


1 in 4 potential employees admit to behaviours that most employers consider high-risk. HR Managers and Risk Managers need to get onto the same page.

1 in 4 potential employees admit to behaviours that most employers consider high-risk. HR Managers and Risk Managers need to get onto the same page. Independent university studies have demonstrated the value of integrity tests that screen for hostility, drug and alcohol abuse, theft and lying in the pre-employment phase. But these tests have yet […]


Security Expert: An insider with malicious intent who works for your organisation has already bypassed the majority of your security features without having to do anything other than log on to their desktop.

Marc Weaver Databasable is an IT consultancy firm that provides database administration support and specializes in moving your databases and applications into the cloud. Founded by Marc Weaver in 2015, databasable uses his vast employment experience from large financial institutions in London, Sydney, and New York. “Obviously a data security breach from an outsider will result […]


What to consider when selecting a pre-employment screening vendor

    ​What to consider when selecting a pre-employment screening vendor. Choosing a background screening provider is an important decision that affects your entire organisation, from human resources and security to everyday employee relationships. It is great to have an expert on your side, helping inform important hiring decisions – decisions which affect your organisation’s […]


A Response to the “NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework.”

  Our Response to the “NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework”. NDIS: How it will work: A nationally consistent screening process will be developed: the results of the screening process for an applicant will be valid throughout Australia, regardless of the state or territory in which it was issued. Cleard.life response: As a national security vetting […]


When Academic Admission Discretion Meets National Security.

  ​When Academic Admission Discretion Meets National Security. If you are part of a school that delivers highly specialised courses, which maybe technically UNCLASSIFIED, then know it maybe true that sensitive topics that involve Defence-related topics are crucial and central to the course outcomes and objectives. For example, the Certificate IV in Government (Personnel Security) […]


Security Expert. Insiders can also face external circumstances which make them feel desperate. Inside threat monitoring is usually shared with HR.

  GREG MANCUSI-UNGARO ​@BrandProtect Greg Mancusi-Ungaro is responsible for developing and executing the BrandProtect market, marketing, and go-to-market strategy. A passionate evangelist for emerging technologies, business practices, and customer-centricity, Greg has been leading and advising world-class marketing initiatives, teams, and organizations for more than twenty-five years. Prior to joining BrandProtect, Greg served in marketing leadership roles at […]


Are You Vigilant in your Vetting? Types of Background Checks before your Hire.

Troubling research is coming to light concerning the disparity between personnel security ideas and reality. For example (notice the slippery slope as what constitutes good proactive screening): 85% cent have convictions that ‘some’ things should bar employment in their organisation. 1 in 2 (61%) thought police checks ‘essential’ for prudent pre-employment screening 1 in 6 […]


Extreme Referencing: It’s a tough pitfall to avoid…

You invest great effort to get your people to interview several Candidates. You laboriously negotiate with your team to pick your favourite — only to then ask the Candidate for a few references to call. After all this time and effort (which you feel is some type of distraction), you call those references with a […]


Security Expert: The malevolent insider is the greatest threat to any company as these individuals are operating from a position of trust.

CHRISTOPHER BURGESS ​@burgessct Christopher Burgess is the CEO, President and co-founder of Prevendra. He is an author, speaker, advisor, consultant, and advocate for effective security strategies, be they for your company, home, or family. “The most serious threat to a company’s data security is the…” Insider threat, which comes in two forms: The malevolent insider is […]


Criminal History and Background checks should be done for all short-listed applicants.

When to ask for a criminal record check ​For most jobs, a criminal record check should be requested only from short-listed applicants or from those invited to interview. This minimises: unnecessary and time-consuming administration involved with processing many consent to disclosure forms the expense, as police services charge for the police checking service the risk […]


Security Expert: Efforts to mitigate the insider threat, such as additional security controls and improved vetting of new employees.

STEVE DURBIN @stevedurbin Steve Durbin is Managing Director of the Information Security Forum (ISF). His main areas of focus include the emerging security threat landscape, cyber security, BYOD, the cloud, and social media across both the corporate and personal environments. Previously, he was Senior Vice President at Gartner. “As data breaches increase, many will be the […]


Security Expert: well-executed inside job will always wreak the most havoc and inflict the most pain: ‘trust but verify’ your insiders’ backgrounds.

JAMES GOODNOW @JamesGoodnow James Goodnow is a brilliant, creative, compassionate attorney and a technology aficionado in Phoenix, Arizona who’s been named one of America’s Techiest Lawyers by the ABA Journal, the official publication of the American Bar Association. Apple actually selected him as the first lawyer to be featured in one of its commercials, and also […]


How to keep your next event safe. 

  Pre-employment screening service  We are delighted to have the opportunity to outline a recruitment solution that will dramatically reduce hiring risks, while not interrupting your recruitment processes, and complete the vetting assessments in the fastest time possible. Although we have not yet been able to customise our response to your specific hiring needs and requirements. […]