Security Executive Blog

Cover designed by Jeffrey W. Bennett. NISPOM available at Red Bike Publishing Why is the CLASSIFIED BY: Line so important? Let’s put it in perspective. Someone is responsible for classification decisions and that person may be accountable for their actions. This is also the person who can provide insight into security violation investigations and etc. The impact; this is the person to go to for research into the classification as well as who is accountable for classification decisions good or bad. Let’s face it; someone has to answer for their decisions. That’s why developing a process for deriving classified information is so important. So, we know the requirements in the BY line, all we now need is a tool or process to identify how to identify source documents for derivative classification. First, what tool do we have available to research derivative classification? According to DoD Security Clearance and Contracts guidebook, the NISPOM addresses the requirement to accoun...

Thanks for continuing to read so many articles about derivative classification. So far, we've written a lot about the derivative classification portion of NISPOM Change 1 . It's important to understand the sections with the largest amount of changes. After all, the products that cleared defense contractors provide constitute derivative classification. Failure to recognize and apply requirements can result in security violations and unmet contract requirements. We began with an article defining derivative classification, next, an article on who should provide derivative classification training, an article about the required training topics, and finally this article describing the new CLASSIFIED BY line. New changes to NISPOM include the addition of a CLASSIFIED BY Line to the derived document. This may seem confusing at first until the intent is made more clear. The CLASSIFIED BY Line should be thought of simply as who provided the derivative classification. Perhaps...

Change 1 to the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual ( NISPOM ) outlines requirements for derivative classification. Where the original classification authority receives training on the same topics annually, NISPOM requires derivative classification once every two years. According to NISPOM derivative classifiers should be trained…in the proper application of the derivative classification principles, with an emphasis on avoiding over-classification, at least once every 2 years. .. not authorized to conduct derivative classification until they receive such training. Here’s the important part, no derivative classifier training , no work. Proper NISPOM training and documentation is the difference between performing on classified work and not being able to meet contractual requirements. Make sure your cleared contractors performing derivative classification responsibilities are trained to standard. The standard is listed below with a few ideas on how to meet each of the cr...

1.      When completing the Request for Visit, the anticipated level of classified information involved include all the following EXCEPT: a.            TOP SECRET b.            SECRET c.             REGISTERED  d.            RESTRICTED e.             UNCLASSIFIED 2.      Which of the following are considered a CSA? a.            Department of Defense b.            Central Intelligence Agency c.             Department of Energy d.    ...

W hat has changed? According to NISPOM Change 1, the cleared defense contractor has the responsibility to provide training for cleared employees who make derivative classification decisions. Where   NISPOM   used to state that training is the FSO’s responsibility, Change 1 omits the FSO as the responsible party and identifies only the contractor entity. Mere oversight or purposeful instruction? This designation represents an important distinction. Now the FSO can strengthen their role in the enterprise and ship from administrator to leader. It is great opportunity for the FSO to shift the training responsibility from performance to oversight. Who should perform the training? At a technical level, the derivative classification training is best provided by the subject matter experts actually performing on   classified contracts , programs and projects. For example, an experienced FSO or designated trainer with a strong security background may be ...

NISPOM With Change 1 Available at www.RedBikePublishing.com Well, it’s here, just this side of six years after the release; Change 1 to the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual. Over the recent three years there have been draft versions of NISPOM submitted, reviewed and resubmitted, but for the most part the NISPOM has remained unchanged. A testimony to an efficient product or policy? Could be. Too many higher level executive order and policy changes? Maybe. Though there has not been a major re-write or even revision, Change 1 does incorporate some important considerations, to include both domestic and international concerns. As programs and research efforts expand globally, Facility security officers (FSO) should know how to protect it in house and train cleared employees to do the same; this includes new markings and storage requirements. The major revision is in NISPOM Chapter 4, Classification Markings, Paragraph 1, Derivative Classification. Prima...

When an employee or potential employee is considered for a security clearance, the employer or sponsor requests a security clearance investigation. An investigation is performed to look into a person’s past and present to gather information. This information is evaluated to determine if the subject can be entrusted with sensitive information. CONFIDENTIAL and SECRET security clearances result in favorable determinations based on a National Agency Check with Law and Credit investigation and for TOP SECRET, the Single Scope Background Investigation. The security clearance request process is finalized during the adjudication period. Here, decisions are made whether or not to grant a clearance based on investigation results as related to the whole person concept and in the best interest of  national  security. The adjudicator evaluates results to determine whether or not an applicant is suited to protect classified information. There are 13 categories of behavior that c...