Clearances and Classified Information
What is required to gain a clearance?
A “Need to Know”
Contract Requirement (DD-254)
EQIP completed and submitted through JPAS/DISS
What is an active shooter?
An active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. Active shooters use firearm(s), and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims.
What is OPSEC and why is it important?
OPSEC stands for Operations Security and is necessary to protect critical and sensitive information from adversaries.
What is an Insider Threat?
An insider threat is anyone with authorized access to the information or things an organization values most, and who uses that access - either wittingly or unwittingly - to inflict harm to the organization or national security.
How can you protect yourself on social media sites?
- Understand and use the privacy settings
- Create strong passwords
- Avoid tagging your location or posting about where you are or will be
- If possible, validate all friend requests through another source before accepting them
- Beware of links of games, quizzes, and external applications
- Avoid posting PII
What are the three levels of clearance and their corresponding levels of harm to national security if disclosed?
CONFIDENTIAL: Unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause damage to the national security.
SECRET: Unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to the national security
TOP SECRET: Unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to our national security
How long do active shooter situations usually last?
Five minutes or less.
Who is an OPSEC adversary?
An adversary is an individual, group, organization, or government that must be denied critical information. An adversary is not necessarily a sworn enemy, foreign government, or military power, but includes any person or group whose intentions and capabilities are in opposition to the mission.
What is adverse information?
Any behavior that might cause the DoD to question whether an individual should have access to classified information or any information that might cast doubt on an employee’s character or integrity. This may include information about an employee’s financial situation, personal conduct, allegiance to the United States, reliance on drugs or alcohol, criminal convictions, or other factors that may call into question a person’s judgment, reliability, or suitability to have access to classified information.
The DoD is starting to move towards using two-factor authentication whenever possible. What are the three types of credentials two-factor identification may draw from?
- Something you possess, like a CAC
- Something you know, like a PIN
- Something you are, like a fingerprint
What is the difference between active secret clearance and secret clearance eligibility?
Active secret clearance: Access on
Secret clearance eligibility: Access off
What is the difference between cover and concealment?
Cover is something that will stop the penetration of a bullet.
Concealment is something that will hide you from view.
What are some examples of OPSEC vulnerabilities?
Examples of vulnerabilities include: discussions and phone calls in public places; telephone and cell phone calls that can be intercepted; email messages that can be intercepted; social networking sites, blogs, and other postings on the internet; printed or written information that can be taken out of your trash; disclosing too much information about your mission to family and friends; and unauthorized disclosure of official information to the press.
What is suspicious contact?
An individual attempting to gain unauthorized access to classified information or compromise a cleared employee. Also includes all contacts by cleared employees with known or suspected intelligence officers from any country, or any contact which suggests the employee concerned may be the target of an attempted exploitation by the intelligence services of another country.
Why should you be wary of wireless technology?
Wireless tech is inherently not secure.
What are the procedures for going on classified visits?
You must have an active clearance and submit a JPAS visit request through your FSO.
What information should you provide to law enforcement or 911 operator when calling to report an active shooter?
• Location of the active shooter
• Number of shooters, if more than one
• Physical description of shooter/s
• Number and type of weapons held by the shooter/s
• Number of potential victims at the location
What are the five steps of the OPSEC process?
1. Identify Critical Information
2. Analyze Threats
3. Analyze Vulnerabilities
4. Assess Risks
5. Apply OPSEC Countermeasures
What are exploitable weaknesses a foreign intelligence service could use as leverage?
Leverage could include drugs or alcohol, gambling, adultery, financial problems, or other weaknesses.
Define phishing, spear phishing, and whaling.
Phishing is an email or pop-up that claims to be from a plausible sender and tries to gain access to your information and/or computer system.
Spear phishing is a type of phishing aimed at specific individuals, groups of people, or organizations.
Whaling is a complex and targeted phishing attempt aimed at senior or high-level officials.
What is the preferred method of destruction for classified documents and material?
The preferred method of destruction is shredding using a National Security Agency approved shredder.
Other methods to destroy classified information include burning, wet pulping, mutilation, chemical decomposition, and pulverizing.
In the event escape is not possible, what sort of hiding place should you look for and what should you do to prevent the shooter from entering your hiding place?
Your hiding place should:
To prevent an active shooter from entering your hiding place:
What are OPSEC countermeasures?
- Minimize predictable patterns
- Conceal indicators that may point to critical information or vulnerabilities
- Make indicators seem unimportant
- May be as simple as choosing not to talk about something
- Protect critical information
What are the three phases of classic recruitment by adversaries?
Classic recruitment by adversaries includes three phases: spot and assess, development, and recruiting and handling.
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