OpSec Explained: Critical Information and Its Definition

OpSec Explained: Critical Information and Its Definition

Operational Security, commonly known as OpSec, is an essential practice used to protect sensitive information shared in any organization. Companies must ensure OpSec is carefully included in any strategy and process that involves communication to ensure the protection of their critical information.

What Is OpSec?

OpSec is a set of policies, procedures, and actions taken to ensure that sensitive information is not leaked or compromised. OpSec can be used to protect any confidential information, whether it’s intellectual property, financial data, personal information, or any secret information. OpSec involves identifying sensitive information, then assessing its level of confidentiality and its associated risk.

Typically, companies classify sensitive information into three categories based on confidentiality – confidential, secret, and top-secret. Then, the protection level and the risk mitigation measures are determined based on the classification.

Why is OpSec Important?

OpSec is a vital security measure that every organization should implement as it ensures that critical information is protected. Top-secret information demands the highest level of protection, while confidential information can be disclosed to a limited number of people based on permission requirements.

However, with the increasing amount of digital communication in the modern era, there’s a high risk of information leakage even within the limited access areas. Cyber-crimes, including phishing attempts, social engineering, and hacking, make information breaches one of the most significant threats to an enterprise.

OpSec Best Practices

Companies should follow certain best practices to protect their critical information. This includes conducting regular OpSec training sessions for new employees and carefully vetting each employee’s background before the recruitment process.

Encryption of sensitive data during data transmission and storage, including file extensions, is also an effective OpSec technique. Some other best practices that businesses should adopt include performing occasional security audits and reviews and limiting the number of authorized personnel to whom sensitive information is disclosed.

Real-World OpSec Examples

There are several examples of companies that have been victims of data breaches as they failed to implement adequate OpSec measures. One such example is the Hospital Group, as in October 2021, cyber criminals breached their IT systems and obtained “critically sensitive” information on clients. The company had not implemented encryption techniques to encrypt sensitive information as it was being transmitted, making them vulnerable to data breaches.

Another example is Equifax, which suffered a data breach in 2017 where the personally identifiable information of approximately 143 million Americans was compromised. The company failed to implement effective OpSec measures, leading to significant loss of trust for the organization.

Conclusion

Overall, OpSec is an essential business practice that organizations must follow to protect their critical information. Companies should conduct regular OpSec training for new employees, and all employees should undergo background checks before the recruitment process. These measures, along with other OpSec best practices, can prevent data breaches and theft of sensitive information.