Security Executive Blog

A former engineer with Boeing Company has pleaded guilty to possessing classified information in an unauthorized location. Does anyone want to guess where? Yes, that’s right, his house. He thought he could take the information home with him and work on it there. You can read more about the information in the article  Boeing Engineer is found guilty.     While many security managers are focused on good training and may think that they have it all under control, don’t rest just yet. Chances are that the involved engineer is not the only one breaking the rules of safeguarding classified material. Those who work on  classified contracts  need to be reminded again and again how to do so while following the laws of our country.     Let’s break this case down. Engineer has access to computer processing. He then downloads the information to a data stick and brings it home with him. Though he probably meant no harm, his actions created tons ...

We spoke with former Counter-Spy and Author John W. David about his experiences with cold war espionage and applying it to counter the insider threat . John has written two books, Rainy Street Stories and Around the Corner . Both are essays of his experiences with the cold war, terrorism, and espionage. John offers several anecdotes and shares past experience of how he has recognized spies and those who would recruit insiders. He weaves relevant stories in the podcasts that are still applicable to a successful insider threat program. Listen to the podcast to hear two of many major points on running Insider Threat Programs. Here are two points to get started: 1. Develop a culture of security by walking around. Security managers should get away from their desks and meet the employees that can work as risk management and security force multipliers. The employees should be comfortable with the office staff and understand what expectations are. One of the primary results o...

Cleared defense contractors provide the technology and know-how that delivers products and services to our defense industry. CDCs and be a prime contractor or subcontractor and are contracted to support government organizations. The designation of CDC indicates that the organization is a government contractor with a facility clearance and is made up of employees with personnel security clearances. With classified contracts, the CDCs are required to protect their government customer’s classified information while performing on classified contracts. The CDCs are part of the National Industrial Security Program (NISP). The National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) provides guidance on how to perform on classified contracts. The guidance includes topics such as employee responsibilities, required training, continuous evaluation, maintaining security clearance, and much more. The Defense Counter-Intelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formally known as DSS provid...

This article addresses the NISPOM based Insider Threat Program (ITP) compliance requirements and is inspired by questions from the Self Inspection Handbook for NISP Contractors . The article uses the handbook’s format to through the self-inspection criteria. We begin the topic question, the NISPOM reference, an explanation of requirements, and finally how to inspect compliance. Topic Question(s): Does your program include a capability to gather, integrate, and report relevant and credible information, which falls into one of the 13 adjudicative guidelines indicative of a potential or actual insider threat?  EVIDENCE: Explain process to gather and integrate data and provide procedures VALIDATION: NISPOM Reference(s): 1-202a a. The contractor will establish and maintain an insider threat program that will gather, integrate, and report relevant and available information indicative of a potential or actual insider threat, consistent with E.O. 13587 (refere...

This article addresses the NISPOM based Insider Threat Program (ITP) compliance requirements and is inspired by questions from the Self Inspection Handbook for NISP Contractors . The article uses the handbook’s format to through the self-inspection criteria. We begin the topic question, the NISPOM reference, an explanation of requirements, and finally how to inspect compliance. Topic Question(s): Does your ITPSO ensure compliance with insider threat requirements established in the NISPOM and in the implementing guidance provided by DSS? EVIDENCE: Explain who and how and how often oversight reviews are conducted NISPOM Reference(s): 1-207b 1-202 The NISPOM references provided are to measure application of the cleared contractor’s Insider Threat Program (ITP) . However, the compliance is applicable to the broad implementation of NISPOM and security disciplines and not just the ITP.  For example, the NISPOM requires cleared contractors to conduct a secu...

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....

This article continues the series covering the Self-Inspection Handbook For NISP Contractors and guidance found in the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) Incorporating Change 2 .   Since the NISPOM update adds to requirements, there is now a sixth element to the “Elements of Inspection” that are common to ALL cleared companies participating in the National Industrial Security Program (NISP).   As mentioned in the first article in the series, all should be incorporated into your customized self-inspection check list: (A) Facility Security Clearance (FCL), (B) Access Authorizations, (C) Security Education, (D) FOCI, (E) Classification, and (Y) Insider Threat . Question: Has the company appointed a U.S. citizen employee, who is a senior official, as a key management personnel (KMP) who will serve as the Insider Threat Program Senior Official (ITPSO)? NISPOM Reference: 1-202b, 1-202c, 2-104   1-202b. The contractor ...