OPSEC Definition

OPSEC, more commonly known as operational security, is a framework intended to safeguard critical data from falling into the wrong hands. Opsec is applied throughout various industries, which include business, government, and military, to name a few.  By implementing an OPSEC framework, businesses and entities can significantly reduce the likelihood of security breaches and unauthorized access to data.

How OPSEC Works

The operational security principles are the following:

• Foes are seeking information to exploit.
• Data can be compromised in many ways, intentionally and unintentionally.
• Mitigating all potential risks is the best way to protect information.

With these principles in mind, this is how OPSEC works:

• Identify critical information about operations, plans, personnel, technology, or capabilities.
• Analyze threats of potential adversaries to understand their capabilities and intentions.
• Analyze vulnerabilities to understand how critical information can be compromised via physical and cyberattacks.
• Assess risks to understand the likelihood of each vulnerability and what the impact is if critical information is compromised.
• Apply appropriate countermeasures to mitigate risks.

Advantages of OPSEC

OPSEC is a vital part of an integral security plan, and here are some advantages:

• OPSEC can help save money by preventing damage to critical information assets.
• OPSEC can help protect the reputation and credibility of companies and individuals.
• OPSEC can help reduce the risks of successful cyberattacks against systems and networks.
• OPSEC can help safeguard sensitive information.