Protecting Proprietary FinTech Algorithms in Chennai

A high-growth FinTech startup on Chennai’s OMR suspected that proprietary logic for a new high-frequency trading tool was being replicated by a rival firm shortly after internal discussions.

The CEO concluded the leak was happening through the walls of the executive conference room, not the firewall.

Industrial-style office interiors with exposed ceilings, ducts, and glass partitions offer countless hiding spots for covert hardware and IoT-based surveillance.

• Audio transmitter detection in a high-density wireless environment.
• Audio recorder detection in exposed ceiling infrastructure.
• Threats for corporate integrity during a critical funding cycle.

Wahid Shaikh led a specialized team from Indiebim to conduct a sweep covering both traditional bugs and smart IoT devices.

• Wireless activity monitoring to inventory authorized MAC addresses and identify ghost devices.
• Physical duct inspections using video pole cameras.
• NLJD scans across war-room furniture and fittings.

The team discovered a MEMS microphone and Wi-Fi bridge hidden inside a legitimate-looking smart thermostat mounted opposite the CEO’s preferred seat.

The device drew power from HVAC control lines and uploaded encrypted files to a cloud server during lunch breaks when office Wi-Fi traffic was highest.

• Removed the bug and handed forensic data to the legal team.
• Advised on a dedicated physical security VLAN for IoT devices.
• Installed ultrasonic audio jammers in the war room.

The startup secured its intellectual property and continued its Series-C process with confidence that physical espionage had been contained.