Security Executive Blog

How are those New Year's resolutions going? I've heard a lot of chatter about preparing for ISP Certification, and was wondering if you are one of the few taking steps to stand apart.  ISP Certification can be yours if you follow the recommendations at the NCMS website. Chances are, if you qualify with the minimum requirements, you have 5 years of great experience under your belt. Now all you need is practice. Our study guide has 4 complete tests with 110 questions each.  Join the hundreds of others who have enhanced their study with  Red Bike Publishing's Unofficial Guide to ISP Certification.   Here are some sample questions from an earlier version of Red Bike Publishing's Unofficial Guide to ISP Certification.  Sample Test Questions Before taking your ISP Certification Exam, why not test drive a few questions. You can find more at  http://www.redbikepublishing.com 1. Which of the following are eligibility requirements for an FCL? a. The c...

This year is still new, but some expectations never change. One thing that you can expect to do is either undergo a self-inspection, a DSS review or both depending on the audit cycle. A DSS review could also be conducted in your facility when applying for a facility security clearance (FCL). Since the DSS review tests security countermeasures and makes determinations of vulnerability and preparedness, it's best to focus on these areas as you prepare for the visit. Begin with the self-inspection. Once you are set up with a security program, you what to know the status and help determine whether or not your security posture is where you expect it to be. In other words, are you able to protect classified information at the level required. Begin with a pre-inspection to plan out your actions. According to DSS, this can be conducted in six steps: 1) Identify all security elements that apply. Cleared facilities are either possessing or non-possessing. The common denominator is...

I spend a lot of time writing about the security clearance process and how to protect classified information. I write the security clearance process with the newly cleared or yet to be cleared defense contractors in mind. The latter, I write for established contractors as they maintain their classified contracts.  Though I’ve covered it in DoD Security Clearance and Contracts Guidebook , I’ve not yet published an article about what happens after you get the new facility security clearance (FCL.) Once the security clearance is awarded and you begin to work on classified information, your responsibility is to establish the security program and protect classified information the way you promised your government customer you would. Soon enough, your industrial security representative from Defense Security Services (DSS) will be by to verify those security practices. Preparation for the visit begins with understanding your responsibility to prepare the facility to safeguard ...