Presented by the 1st Information Operations Command.

Presented by the 1Presented by the 1stst Information Information Operations CommandOperations Command

AgendaAgenda

IntroductionIntroduction Define OPSECDefine OPSEC OPSEC TermsOPSEC Terms Online OPSECOnline OPSEC OPSEC in Your Daily ActivitiesOPSEC in Your Daily Activities ConclusionConclusion QuestionsQuestions

TO DO LIST

As a family member of the military As a family member of the military community, you are a vital player in community, you are a vital player in our success, and we couldn’t do our our success, and we couldn’t do our job without your support. You may job without your support. You may not know it, not know it, but you play a crucial but you play a crucial role in ensuring your loved ones role in ensuring your loved ones safety just by what you know of safety just by what you know of the military’s day-to-day the military’s day-to-day operations.operations. You can protect your You can protect your loved ones by protecting the loved ones by protecting the information that you know. This is information that you know. This is known in the military as operations known in the military as operations security or, OPSEC. security or, OPSEC.

IntroductionIntroduction

What Is What Is OPSEC?OPSEC?

OPSEC is…OPSEC is…

… … keeping potential adversaries from keeping potential adversaries from discovering our critical information. As discovering our critical information. As the name suggests, it protects our the name suggests, it protects our operations – planned, in progress and operations – planned, in progress and those completed. Success depends on those completed. Success depends on secrecy and surprise, so the military can secrecy and surprise, so the military can accomplish the mission quicker and with accomplish the mission quicker and with less risk. Enemies of freedom want our less risk. Enemies of freedom want our information, and they’re not just after the information, and they’re not just after the military member to get it. They want you, military member to get it. They want you, the family member.the family member.

OPSEC teaches you to:OPSEC teaches you to:

Look at your daily activities from an Look at your daily activities from an enemies’ point of viewenemies’ point of view

Understand what an enemy might know Understand what an enemy might know about you and your familyabout you and your family

Assess the amount of risk this places on Assess the amount of risk this places on you and your familyyou and your family

Develop and apply countermeasures, Develop and apply countermeasures, which are ways of preventing enemies which are ways of preventing enemies from gaining your sensitive information from gaining your sensitive information

So… What can I So… What can I Do?Do?

Limit what you say Limit what you say about…about…

Military movements Military movements (deployment/redeployment dates, dates of (deployment/redeployment dates, dates of field exercises, flight information etc.)… field exercises, flight information etc.)… next Tuesday IS a specific datenext Tuesday IS a specific date

Any issues with the unitAny issues with the unit Anything concerning securityAnything concerning security Equipment issues (what, no flak vests?)Equipment issues (what, no flak vests?) Locations of units (it’s OK to say they’re Locations of units (it’s OK to say they’re

in Iraq, but not to say that your spouses in Iraq, but not to say that your spouses battalion is at 14battalion is at 14thth and Ramadan in and Ramadan in Kadamiyah)Kadamiyah)

DON’T DO IT in these DON’T DO IT in these places:places:

Clubs/BarsClubs/Bars RestaurantsRestaurants GymsGyms ShoppingShopping Public Public

transportationtransportation Basically anywhere Basically anywhere

someone you don’t someone you don’t know could be know could be listeninglistening

The Don’ts of OPSECThe Don’ts of OPSEC

Discuss future destinationsDiscuss future destinations Discuss future operations or missionsDiscuss future operations or missions Discuss dates and times of exercisesDiscuss dates and times of exercises Discuss readiness issues or numbersDiscuss readiness issues or numbers Discuss specific training equipmentDiscuss specific training equipment

Don’t:

The Don’ts of OPSECThe Don’ts of OPSEC

Discuss people’s names and Discuss people’s names and billets in conjunction with billets in conjunction with operationsoperations

Speculate about future Speculate about future operationsoperations

Spread rumors about Spread rumors about operationsoperations

Assume the enemy is not Assume the enemy is not trying to collect information trying to collect information on military operations, you, or on military operations, you, or your familyyour family

OPSEC measures you OPSEC measures you should practice daily:should practice daily:

Be aware of your surroundingsBe aware of your surroundings Keep sensitive discussions in Keep sensitive discussions in

designated secure areasdesignated secure areas Keep a need-to-know attitude (if Keep a need-to-know attitude (if

they don’t need to know, don’t tell they don’t need to know, don’t tell them)them)

Safeguard sensitive but unclassified Safeguard sensitive but unclassified informationinformation

Some OPSEC Some OPSEC TermsTerms

These are a few words you’ll here These are a few words you’ll here often when talking about OPSEC:often when talking about OPSEC: Critical Information - Specific facts about Critical Information - Specific facts about

you as well as our military intentions, you as well as our military intentions, capabilities, operations or activitiescapabilities, operations or activities

Indicators - Any activity that seems Indicators - Any activity that seems innocent but could point to critical innocent but could point to critical informationinformation

Vulnerability - A weakness that someone Vulnerability - A weakness that someone can use to get your critical informationcan use to get your critical information

Some OPSEC TermsSome OPSEC Terms Risk - Risk - The probability that The probability that

someone will gain your critical someone will gain your critical information, and the damage information, and the damage that could be caused if they that could be caused if they are successfulare successful

Countermeasures - Countermeasures - Things Things you can do to stop others from you can do to stop others from learning your Critical learning your Critical InformationInformation

Critical Critical InformationInformation

Examples of Critical Examples of Critical InformationInformation

Detailed information about missions of Detailed information about missions of assigned unitsassigned units

Details concerning locations and times of Details concerning locations and times of unit deploymentsunit deployments

Personal transactions that occur in large Personal transactions that occur in large numbers (pay information, powers of numbers (pay information, powers of attorney, wills and deployment information)attorney, wills and deployment information)

References to trend in unit moraleReferences to trend in unit morale Personnel problemsPersonnel problems Details concerning security proceduresDetails concerning security procedures

IndicatorsIndicators

Some examples of Some examples of Indicators:Indicators:

Increase in field exercisesIncrease in field exercises Large troop movementsLarge troop movements Railhead detailsRailhead details CeremoniesCeremonies Large number of wills and power of Large number of wills and power of

attorneys being processedattorneys being processed Increase in financial activityIncrease in financial activity Tightened securityTightened security POV storage lots being set upPOV storage lots being set up

VulnerabilityVulnerability

Example of a VulnerabilityExample of a Vulnerability

An enemy can physically observe An enemy can physically observe your daily activities such as your daily activities such as driving your children to school driving your children to school and shopping, or they can listen and shopping, or they can listen to your phone conversations and to your phone conversations and monitor your Internet/e-mail monitor your Internet/e-mail activities to get that information.activities to get that information.

RiskRisk

Some examples of Risk:Some examples of Risk:

If an enemy found out flight dates If an enemy found out flight dates and times for Soldiers deploying and times for Soldiers deploying overseas, would he use that overseas, would he use that information against them?information against them?

If an enemy knew when and where If an enemy knew when and where your kids went to school, would he your kids went to school, would he use that against you to gain any use that against you to gain any information you might know?information you might know?

CountermeasuresCountermeasures

Some Countermeasures…Some Countermeasures…

Taking different routes to work, school etcTaking different routes to work, school etc Changing up your schedule (instead of Changing up your schedule (instead of

always doing groceries on Wednesday, always doing groceries on Wednesday, change it to different days)change it to different days)

Changes the times you do certain daily Changes the times you do certain daily activities (jogging, shopping, going to the activities (jogging, shopping, going to the gym)gym)

Destroy trash with personal information on itDestroy trash with personal information on it Keep personal information in a safe or lock Keep personal information in a safe or lock

boxbox

Online OPSECOnline OPSEC

The World Wide The World Wide WebWeb

Personal Personal WebsitesWebsites

Do you have one? Does it include Do you have one? Does it include information that strangers shouldn't know information that strangers shouldn't know about your spouse's job and/or your family? about your spouse's job and/or your family? Do you link it from forums and websites Do you link it from forums and websites that you frequent? that you frequent?

Some OPSEC Measures Some OPSEC Measures You Should Practice You Should Practice

OnlineOnline Do not discuss sensitive information Do not discuss sensitive information

E-mailsE-mails Chat rooms/instant messagingChat rooms/instant messaging BlogsBlogs

Avoid posting excessive personal information on your Avoid posting excessive personal information on your family websitefamily website Rank/MOS Rank/MOS Your family members full namesYour family members full names Your addressYour address

““A picture is worth a thousand words…” Keep this in A picture is worth a thousand words…” Keep this in mind when posting themmind when posting them

Remember… Anything put on the Internet is available to ANYONE on the Internet…

It IS the World Wide Web

OPSEC In Your OPSEC In Your Daily ActivitiesDaily Activities

Friends and FamilyFriends and Family

Do your friends and family who Do your friends and family who are not familiar with the military are not familiar with the military understand the importance of not understand the importance of not revealing what you tell them? revealing what you tell them? Are you sure? Talking with those Are you sure? Talking with those you do share information about you do share information about your spouse's comings and goings your spouse's comings and goings is a good idea. Not sharing the is a good idea. Not sharing the details is an even better idea. details is an even better idea.

TelephonesTelephones

Simply put, they’re not secure. Simply put, they’re not secure. Cell phones, cordless phones and Cell phones, cordless phones and land-lines can all be land-lines can all be compromised. Censor what you compromised. Censor what you discuss on the phone because you discuss on the phone because you never know who could be never know who could be listening in on you.listening in on you.

Out and AboutOut and AboutBe careful what you talk about Be careful what you talk about when you’re out in public. You when you’re out in public. You don’t know if the person next to don’t know if the person next to

you is friendly or not.you is friendly or not.

Joe the cashier at the grocery storeJoe the cashier at the grocery store Your spotter at the gymYour spotter at the gym One of your neighborsOne of your neighbors The person that was sitting behind you on The person that was sitting behind you on

the bus listening to you complain about the bus listening to you complain about your spouses unit always being deployed your spouses unit always being deployed and whenand when

Point is, you NEVER KNOW!

ConclusionConclusion

Thank you for taking the time to participate in this briefing. Our goal is to provide you with a greater understanding of our security concerns. The information in this guide is not intended to make you paranoid or suspicious that everyone you meet is a spy or terrorist. But stay alert… if any stranger shows excessive interest in the affairs of your family members, military or not, please notify the proper authorities.

Questions?Questions?