NSA Operations Security (OPSEC) Flashcards
6 cards from real NSA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 NSA Operations Security (OPSEC) flashcards as text
What does OPSEC stand for in NSA terminology?
Answer: Operations Security
OPSEC stands for Operations Security, a process designed to protect unclassified information from being exploited by adversaries.
What is the first step of the five-step OPSEC process?
Answer: Identification of critical information
The first step of OPSEC is identifying critical information that must be protected from adversary exploitation.
Which U.S. directive established the national OPSEC program?
Answer: NSDD-298
National Security Decision Directive 298, signed in 1988, established the national OPSEC program and created the Interagency OPSEC Support Staff.
In OPSEC, what is a 'vulnerability'?
Answer: A weakness that can be exploited by an adversary
A vulnerability in OPSEC is a weakness in security measures that adversaries can exploit to obtain critical information.
What is the purpose of OPSEC countermeasures?
Answer: To eliminate vulnerabilities or reduce risk to critical information
OPSEC countermeasures are actions taken to eliminate vulnerabilities or reduce the risk that adversaries will successfully exploit them.
Which of the following is an example of an OPSEC indicator?
Answer: Unusual increases in personnel badge access requests before an operation
Unusual access request patterns are OPSEC indicators — observable facts or data that could reveal sensitive operational information to an adversary.