Operations security

Short description: Counterespionage safety procedures and practices

"OPSEC" redirects here. For the 501(c)(4) group, see Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund.

"OPSEC" redirects here. It is not to be confused with OPSEK.

World War II propaganda poster which popularized the cautionary phrase "Loose lips sink ships" File:"WAAC - SILENCE MEANS SECURITY" - NARA - 515987.jpgWomen's Army Corps anti-rumor propaganda (1941–1945)

The term "operations security" was coined by the United States military during the Vietnam War.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 1.1 Vietnam
* 1.2 NSDD 298
* 2 Private-sector application
* 2.1 IT security
* 3 See also
* 4 References
* 5 Further reading
* 6 External links

## History

### Vietnam

In 1966, United States Admiral Ulysses Sharp established a multidisciplinary security team to investigate the failure of certain combat operations during the Vietnam War. This operation was dubbed Operation Purple Dragon, and included personnel from the National Security Agency and the Department of Defense.[1]

When the operation concluded, the Purple Dragon team codified their recommendations. They called the process "Operations Security" in order to distinguish the process from existing processes and ensure continued inter-agency support.[2]

### NSDD 298

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 298. This document established the National Operations Security Program and named the Director of the National Security Agency as the executive agent for inter-agency OPSEC support. This document also established the Interagency OPSEC Support Staff (IOSS).[3]

## Private-sector application

The private sector has also adopted OPSEC as a defensive measure against competitive intelligence collection efforts.[4]

### IT security

NIST SP 800-53 defines OPSEC as the "process by which potential adversaries can be denied information about capabilities and intentions by identifying, controlling, and protecting generally unclassified evidence of the planning and execution of sensitive activities."[5]

## See also

* Controlled Unclassified Information - CUI
* For Official Use Only – FOUO
* Information security
* Intelligence cycle security
* Security
* Security culture
* Sensitive but unclassified – SBU
* Social engineering

## References

1. ↑ "PURPLE DRAGON: The Formations of OPSEC". National Security Agency. https://www.iad.gov/iad/news/purple-dragon-the-formations-of-opsec.cfm.
2. ↑ "The Origin of OPSEC- from the dragon's mouth". http://www.opsecprofessionals.org/origin.html.
3. ↑ "About the IOSS". Interagency OPSEC Support Staff. https://www.iad.gov/ioss/department/about-the-ioss-10019.cfm.
4. ↑ Kahaner, Larry (1997). Competitive Intelligence. Simon & Schuster. pp. 252–255.
5. ↑ "SC-38. OPERATIONS SECURITY". Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations (Information security standard). Joint Task Force. p. 323\. doi:10.6028/NIST.SP.800-53r5.

## Further reading

* National Security Decision Directive 298
* Purple Dragon: The Origin & Development of the United States OPSEC Program, NSA, 1993.
* Operations Security (JP 3-13.3) PDF U.S. DoD Operations Security Doctrine.
* "Bin Laden Trail 'Stone Cold'". Washington Post. September 10, 2006. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/09/AR2006090901105.html.
* "After a Decade at War With West, Al-Qaeda Still Impervious to Spies". Washington Post. March 20, 2008. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/19/AR2008031903760.html.

## External links

* Espionage Target You - DoD Film on Operational Security on YouTube
* U.S. Government OPSEC site
* Operation Security Professional's Organization
* How to Conduct an OPSEC Assessment

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