Operations Security ( OPSEC ) April 2020 - OPSEC Protecting Sensitive Information

Operations Security ( OPSEC )
             April 2020

OPSEC Protecting Sensitive Information

Today’s Key Threats

Ever use wireless at a hotel
       while TDY?

      Assume it is “dirty”

Army Regulation
                                               530-1 requires all
                                               Soldiers be trained
                                               in OPSEC annually
                                               and hear the
                                               Commander’s
                                               Critical Information
                                               that requires

The last AR was more clear with examples, it stated YOU MUST NOT share
photographs displaying critical or sensitive information, this includes
Improvised Explosive Device (IED) strikes, battle scenes, casualties,
destroyed or damaged equipment, personnel killed in action (KIA), both
friendly and adversary, and the protective measures of military facilities,
military vehicles…)

OPSEC –
 MENG

   Critical
Information
    List

OPSEC – Common Maine “issues”
(CRITICAL INFORMATION “leaked” on Social media by Soldiers or their loved ones)

•1. Specific details of current or upcoming missions/operations

•2. Movement dates - deploy/return, arrived, and locations.

•3. Information about sensitive missions, sensitive equipment or facilities.

•4. Security procedures.

•5. Physical vulnerabilities of our facilities or vehicles.
 …. other

 •6 – Our house is empty while we are (…at drill this weekend, deployed, skiing…)

 •7- What medication Nana is taking:          “… she’s   on OxyContin for the pain”

 8. Tour TDY:     “I’m deploying to NTC in August for 6-months”

Jumping into Social Networking

Why is this considered
        OPSEC?
   If a soldier or family
  member has their bank
account emptied, or home
 robbed – they are ‘out of
     play” for a while.

OPSEC – Managing the State of Maine

We love posting pictures of things we are not supposed to.
Posting the names of “friendly” foreigners or bodies is against
Army Regulation.

OPSEC – Managing the State of Maine

Recently MENG personnel posted pictures from a
restaurant, tagging the “whole team” showing which country
they were all in – in real time. Shared it “globally”

Knowing OPSEC let’s you figure out
what they want to know about your
      facility and Operations

 What would an adversary (foreign enemy, anti-
 government terrorist…) want to know about us?

A Maine National Guard Soldier made
 this his Profile Picture in 2 different
        social media accounts

            This is an example of a picture our
           enemy wants and they don’t need to
                send a runner to go take it

On the day they arrived in Afghanistan, a
      soldier posted: “This is the view from my
      front door for the next year”

The video included fencing, a panoramic view of the gates, towers and all
other protective measures.

A different Soldier’s email
THE DAY BEFORE         they were to fly into Afghanistan

In this one example, over 38,000 Hotmail employees have instant access
to this soldier’s email about the convoy that is planning on going from
Kabul to Camp Eggers tomorrow.

More on the example, over 38,000 Hotmail employees have instant
access to this soldier’s email about the convoy that is planning on going
from Kabul to Camp Eggers tomorrow.

UMaine systems (email) are hacked into fairly regularly.

Sending email from our protected Military systems to these less protected
systems creates vulnerabilities for the TAG’s Critical Information

Maine soldier posted this…

This is not OK on so many levels. Shows who took it, TTPs, the exact
location, etc

“Pumpkin, I need you to
                                       stay strong for mommy.
                                       I’m what they call a
                                       Fobbit – I never leave
                                       the base. I’m getting
                                       good at making coffee.
                                       Imagine that, me good at
“Chris was looking for a Snickers bar…”cooking  Give mom a
                                       hug for me. I love you”
 “…we took an IED on the ride back”                    Daddy
     Some Soldiers make a choice to not tell the family what he’s doing in
     Afghanistan, But his buddy is posting pics and descriptions.

Unit Websites and newsletters!

CPT D on Hilltop X– we know who he is, and we know where he is, we don’t need
to share that with everyone.

  Excellent example of a good unit newsletter. The unit and family know
  who they are talking about, and about where they are stationed.

THE BIG FOUR
1)Once you post something online, it is out there
  FOREVER!

2)Don’t assume your stuff is password (or privacy)
  protected.

3) There are no limits to what is available, and what
  tools criminals can use to see what you post.

4) Assume Hotel (and free) wifi is dirty, looking to get
  passwords and financial data.

How serious are we?
Soldiers: A failure to comply with these orders, directives, or
policies may be punished as violations of a lawful order under
Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) or
under other disciplinary, administrative, or other actions as
applicable.

Family: Personnel not subject to the UCMJ who fail to protect
critical and sensitive information from unauthorized disclosure
may be subject to administrative, disciplinary, contractual, or
criminal action.

(This info includes photographs displaying critical or sensitive information. Examples
include but are not limited to Improvised Explosive Device (IED) strikes, battle scenes,
casualties, destroyed or damaged equipment, personnel killed in action (KIA), both friendly and
adversary, and the protective measures of military facilities, military vehicles…)

OPSEC
Operations Security

        MSG John Adam Knoblach
        State Security Manager
        Maine National Guard
        207-430-5646

        Email:
        john.knoblach.mil@mail.mil