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NCSC One Page OpSec Guide

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27 views1 page

NCSC One Page OpSec Guide

Uploaded by

p0kofewahip3
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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OPERATIONS SECURITY (OPSEC)

NATIONAL COUNTERINTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY CENTER

OPERATIONS SECURITY (OPSEC)

THIS PRODUCT WAS PUBLISHED BY

Understanding OPSEC - The OPSEC Cycle NCSC’S ENTERPRISE THREAT-


MITIGATION DIRECTORATE & THE
NATIONAL OPERATIONS SECURITY
National OPSEC Awareness Month, January 2023, Bulletin 2 PROGRAM (NOP) OFFICE

Operations Security (OPSEC) isn’t rocket science, nor should it be. Most of us apply OPSEC principles in our
daily lives without realizing it. Whenever an individual identifies personal information that needs to be
protected in order to limit risk, they are practicing OPSEC. Not sharing Social Security numbers or other
personally identifiable information (PII) — knowing adversaries can use this data to commit identity theft — is
common sense, but it is also the first step of the OPSEC Cycle. The threat of information loss/compromise can
also be applied to departments/agencies, businesses, corporations, and any other organization, thereby
compelling the need to implement the OPSEC Cycle and a robust OPSEC program.

As detailed below, the first step in the OPSEC Cycle involves identifying critical information. Critical
information is that which you determine is important to your organization, and if exposed, could be useful by
itself or in aggregate to a known or unknown adversary. Critical information does not necessarily mean
classified information. Examples of critical information
include research and development, proprietary operational
information, PII, financial information, and more.

Once you have identified critical information, evaluate


potential threats. A threat is anyone with the intent and
capability to cause harm. Next, examine the vulnerabilities
of your organization (i.e., how your critical information is
protected and any weaknesses in that protection), then think
about the level of risk your organization faces. The risk
equation is calculated as risk = threat (x) vulnerability (x)
impact. There are many nuances to the equation and you
should evaluate threats in relation to specific vulnerabilities.

For example, if the impact of losing all of your employees’ or


clients’ PII to criminals is high (e.g., it could bankrupt the
business), if you are vulnerable due to antiquated cyber
protections, and if hackers have tried to access that
information previously (the threat), the risk of losing that
data should be taken very seriously. However, the risk can be mitigated by developing and deploying
countermeasures. In our scenario, countermeasures could include encrypting files containing PII, using multi-
factor authentication for employees to access pay statements or other personnel information, not using social
security numbers as employee IDs, and providing OPSEC awareness training/resources to employees. Not all
countermeasures require expensive solutions and, in fact, many are low- or no-cost to your organization.

During National OPSEC Awareness Month, take the opportunity to learn about OPSEC, understand its role in
securing your organization, and how that understanding can benefit you personally.

The National OPSEC Program Office provides OPSEC resources and awareness materials year round. Please
visit the following link: National Operations Security Program Office (NOP) (dni.gov)

For more information on Operations Security (OPSEC) please visit www.NCSC.gov

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