Security Executive Blog

Pentagon analyst Gregg William Bergersen, was recently sentenced to 57 months in prison for providing information classified at the SECRET level to the People's Republic of China. The information was classified SECRET, thus having the potential to cause serious damage to national security. The complicated espionage operation involved not only native born U.S. Citizens, but foreign born as well. Though this ring involved several people both U.S. and Non-U.S. citizens, let us spend our focus on the the cleared U.S. Citizen Mr. Bergersen. The foreign operative received the largest sentence, however, let us not waste time tracking them, they are paid to spy and we have agencies dedicated to catching spies. We as security managers entrusted with safeguarding classified information, have to clean up our own back yards. Proactive security specialists are constantly on the look out for indicators of employee espionage. We cannot prevent employees from being corrupted with recruitment, bu...

I recently went through an annual audit with the Defense Security Services while working on my full time job as an FSO for a Defense Contractor. I have always held dear the responsibility of implementing a security program designed to protect classified material. In that role, I try to create a positive environment while remaining vigilant of suspicious activities and possible compromise. During the course of the inspection, my attention was directed to our company's lack of warning sign. This sign was to be posted reminding employees and visitors that their personal effects are subject to search. I agreed that the NISPOM requires such a posting, but I did not understand how a sign would be helpful. We re-opened the NISPOM to try to better understand the intent. The sign is part of the program to prevent unauthorized introduction or removal of classified material from a contractor facility. I had only understood half of the intent, to prevent unauthorized removal. With the full und...