Protect Your Information The Way The Military Does

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Shawn Rhodes
  • 927th Air Refueling Wing
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  When the military needs to protect something, its first weapon is not an encrypted database or an armed guard. Servicemembers use a sophisticated weapon they always carry. It is called Operational Security, or OPSEC, for short. Most people don't have to worry about a slip of the tongue costing the lives of their coworkers, but everyone can use the steps of OPSEC to keep their information, fortune and families safe.

1. Identify Critical Information
Critical information is any information that would affect your life if it fell in the wrong hands. Troop locations are protected so the enemy won't know where to strike - your information may not be used by an army, but it's still critical. Figure out what information is important to you: social security, bank account and phone numbers, and any other information someone could use to negatively affect your life.

2. Analyze The Threat
Not every threat carries a gun. The next step is to determine the individuals or groups that could represent a threat to your information. This includes thieves, con artists, or internet criminals. According to FBI, in 2010 more than 300,000 property crimes were reported - many of those included data theft.

3. Analyze Vulnerabilities
In the military, troops are taught to view themselves like the enemy would. You can do the same thing by thinking about your vulnerabilities - if you were going to steal your own information, how could you do it? Your Facebook page? The bank statement in your trash can? Examine how you guard your information from the point of view of a thief and head them off at the pass.

4. Assess Risks
For each vulnerability in their defenses, servicemembers prioritize. The hole in the perimeter wall needs to be fixed before they worry about patrols. Examine where your information is at risk - online, in your home, or in public, and then take steps to improve your defenses.

5. Apply Countermeasures
Once they understand what their weaknesses are, troops put a plan in place to fix the problem, or if that is impossible, to lessen the risk. Are you checking to make sure you are using secure servers and a private computer when shopping online? Crossing out or destroying your credit card numbers on receipts? Using a password on your cell phone? Shredding your sensitive mail? Once you take an honest look at where your information is at risk, take steps to protect it.

Surprisingly, many people give out critical information without even realizing it.

"Some people keep family stickers on the back of their cars, spelling out how many kids they have and what events they're involved in," said Tech. Sgt. Shannon Meinert, the OPSEC program manager for the 927th Air Refueling Wing, a reserve unit at MacDill Air Force Base. "OPSEC is job security, family security, and it should be a way of life for everyone."

For more information on protecting your information, visit www.opsecprofessionals.org