Security Executive Blog

T his article continues the series describing what happens after the government grants you a security clearance. After receiving a job with a company or agency performing classified work, you’ll receive your onboarding training, which may have included the SF 312 Non-Disclosure Agreement, Initial Security Awareness, Derivative Classifier and other required training events and briefings. Even though the Facility Security Officer (FSO) brought you into the system, awarded your security clearance, and performed the required high-level training, there is still much more work to do to ensure you understand how to perform on classified contracts. The high-level training and onboarding is enough to get you “authorized” and prepared for the work. The rest of the preparation will come from other sources to include peers, supervisors and program managers. This training is usually provided on the job as you actually begin performing on the classified contract. ...

Get your copy @ www.redbikepublishing.com These NISPOM based questions could be helpful in passing the NCMS ISP Certification and the DoD's SPeD Certification exams including the most recent Industrial Security Oversight Certification ( ISOC) . Taking practice tests is a great way to prepare for an exam. Successful students in grade school and college study using guides and exam preparation questions based on the test subject material. This same successful methodology can also help prepare for professional exams like ISP Certification and SPeD Certification.  Practice tests augment certification exam preparation.  Red Bike Publishing's Unofficial Study Guide  features four complete test length practice exams based on  NISPOM .  We've updated our manual for NISPOM Change 2.  Response times for investigating alarms shall not exceed: a. Thirty minutes    ...

The insider threat by the very concept is a difficult threat to face. As professionals operating in a National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual environment, we pay homage to these deviant but trusted employees without really addressing the issue. Of course we conduct the required insider threat program training , document it, and report the existence of our insider threat programs as required. In other words, it is easy to recognize the existence of the potential of an insider threat. We can even assign an impact level should we have an insider that goes to the dark side, but few can go beyond the recognition to implementing preventative measures. What if you can’t identify a threat, do you still have a risk? Insider threat programs and training requirements spend much effort on convincing that the insider threat is “real” and that if activated, they can cause a level of “damage” to national security, depending on the level of classified information exploited....

As discussed in an earlier installation in the series covering the Self Inspection Handbook for NIST Contractors , the government depends on Cleared Defense Contractors (CDC) to operate security programs designed to protect classified information from receipt to disposition. This article addresses the safe and secure removal of classified information. Question: Are procedures established to review classified holdings on a recurring basis for the purpose of maintaining classified inventories to the minimum required for classified operations?  Answer: NISPOM 5-701. Contractors shall establish procedures for review of their classified holdings on a recurring basis to reduce these classified inventories to the minimum necessary for effective and efficient operations. Multiple copies, obsolete material, and classified waste shall be destroyed as soon as practical after it has served its purpose. Any appropriate downgrading and declassification actions shall be taken on a timely ba...

As discussed in an earlier installation in the series covering the Self Inspection Handbook for NIST Contractors , Defense Contractors depend heavily on reproducing, printing, or otherwise providing hard copy documents as contractual deliverables or work products. This installation focuses on the handling and protection of the reproduced classified information. The reproductions should be accomplished by highly trained cleared employees with the required need to know. Additionally, as available, technology should be used to detect, discourage, or prevent unauthorized classified output. Question: 5-600 Is the reproduction of classified information accomplished only by properly cleared, authorized, and knowledgeable employees?   Answer: NISPOM 5-600. General. Contractors shall establish a control system to ensure that reproduction of classified material is held to the minimum consistent with contractual and operational requirements. Classified reproduction shall b...

Currently, there are a little over 13,000 cleared defense contractor facilities supporting classified contracts. These contracts range from services to providing products. Some perform security clearance and classified contracts work at the contractor location and others at customer locations. Some are authorized to store classified material at the locations, while others perform on classified work elsewhere. Each cleared defense contractor is as unique as the statement of work and  Contract Security Classification Specification ( DD Form 254) requirements. What doesn’t change is the requirement to protect classified information while performing. Many large and well known cleared facilities have centralized document control areas, open storage, rooms cleared for classified conversations, open storage, and large areas built especially for working on classified projects. In other words, their entire budget, success and capabilities are supported by infrastructure dedicated t...