According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, eleven men and women, including four married couples, three with children, were arrested for crimes connected to, but (surprisingly) not including, espionage. These men and women worked for more than a decade to blend in to American society. Far from the gripping ‘James Bond’ image, they lived mundane lives in normal neighborhoods. In no case did their neighbors suspect that they were anything but what they said they were, but in fact their orders were clear: “You were sent to the USA for a long-term service trip. Your education, bank accounts, car, house etc. – all these serve one goal: fulfill your main mission, i.e, to search and develop ties in policymaking circles in US and send intels [intelligence reports] to C [Center]”, according to the FBI affidavit describing intercepted messages.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it makes me think of my family when I was coming up. We’d spend all day cooking the turkey, and the yams with those tiny marshmallows, and then we’d all sit around the table and watch George C. Scott in Patton.
 
No, not really. But it was a convenient way [...]

The Information Age and OPSEC
By Victor Duckarmenn
 
In 1941, we had our first real computer called the Z-3.  By 1971, we had E-mail, in 1989, the world- wide -web, (WWW) and wireless devices by the year 2000. Additional wonders of technology increase every decade. What are the consequences of all this “progress” and technological change?  Did [...]

The Oregon Newspaper “The Oregonian” reported the following on August 19, 2008:
Two men made off with hundreds of dollars in cash by dressing as security guards, standing outside a bank’s night deposit slot and persuading people to hand over their money because the slot was broken.
The men offered to make the deposits for customers at [...]

Awareness campaigns are one of the most important tools in the OPSEC Professional’s Arsenal. Ranging from an Army OPSEC Training Program to local Schools or community centers, the OPSEC Awareness program is an opportunity for creativity and employee involvement.
 
The following list provides ideas for elements of an OPSEC Awareness Program, assuming management support:
 
Use the company [...]

They say that the devil’s in the details. It’s really amazing at how a
small change can really set off alarm bells in our heads.
For instance, would you read a book called “The Princess and the Pee”?
Not if you’re used to the original “The Princess and the PEA”. What if
Shakespeare had written “That which we call [...]

I have been in contact recently with the owner of the blog UpstartAgent.com, a real estate blog. Michelle, the owner, had some excellent questions about OPSEC and how it could relate to real estate agents.
It was an interesting and enjoyable conversation, but I was most encouraged that she “got it”. She got that it’s impossible [...]

OPSEC posters can be an effective tool in an organization’s OPSEC Awareness Program…
But only if they’re read.
When creating awareness posters, it’s tempting to cram as much information as possible into a relatively small space. However, if you do that, you can pretty much say whatever you want to say in that space. Afterall, no one’s [...]