SGIS Security wants you all to be aware that you could potentially be a target.  Whether it’s for Economic Espionage, a type of cyber crime or Elicitation/Recruitment, the fact that you are a working for a U.S. government contracting company puts you at a level of risk.

Those who have clearances and access to sensitive or proprietary information are prime targets to foreign intelligence operatives a.k.a. “spies.”  Now when I say spy, someone might think of 007 or “Get Smart,” but the fact is today’s operatives are usually friendly, everyday people who want to become “friends” with you.  They use a technique called “Elicitation”, which simply put is “the art of conversation honed by intelligence services…”  Often times, they will make initial contact with you at a seminar, business conference, networking event or social networking site.  Their goal is to determine if you have ANY information or access to information that could be potentially valuable.

If this initial contact seems worthy, they will proceed to get to know you and assess your vulnerabilities.  This is why it is extremely important to be careful what you say about yourself and your co-workers!  If you begin telling this spy… err, I mean “friend,” about your financial difficulties, marital problems or work related stresses, you are letting them know what your vulnerabilities are and they will exploit those vulnerabilities to gain an advantage.

Elicitation can take place over a long period of time. They collect tidbits of information on you, your job and coworkers. Elicitation is sometimes very hard to recognize.  Over time they hope to earn your trust and have you consider them a friend. They may ask for your expertise or consultation. Typically their goal is to have a “trusted source” that they can go to for information.

Please review the information below for further details on how they may try to recruit you and or your information:



Elicitation might be hard to recognize, but if feel you are being targeting and assessed by a Foreign Intelligence Operative, remember you have done nothing wrong unless you start maintaining a regular contact without reporting it to your security officer. Your main defense is awareness and reporting. The government may be able to notify you that you are dealing with a known intelligence operative, or it may identify the person as an operative as a result of your reporting the contact. Always report so that you are part of the solution and not the problem. See reporting requirements below.

You are required to report the following to your security office:

• Any effort by any individual, regardless of nationality, to obtain illegal or unauthorized access to classified information or to compromise you or any other cleared employee.  In addition, all contacts by you or any other cleared employee with known or suspected intelligence officers from any country, or any contact which suggests that you or any other employee may be the target of the intelligence service of another country or other clandestine group shall be reported.¹

• Any other known, suspected, attempted, or planned activity that threatens U.S. national security. This includes unauthorized release of or access to any classified or otherwise sensitive information, intrusion into an automated information system containing classified or otherwise sensitive information, or information relating to terrorism, sabotage, subversion, or illegal diversion of U.S. technology to a foreign country. Knowledge of any activity by a foreign country or organization that suggests that country or organization may have unauthorized knowledge of U.S. national security information, processes or capabilities.

Just to show you that this is REAL and happens regularly, I have linked some interesting articles on recent espionage cases that have happened this past year:

U.S.: Product engineer swiped Ford’s secrets

China proves to be an aggressive foe in cyberspace

Scientist offered U.S. secrets for $2 million, prosecutors say

As always, SGIS security is here to HELP you! Please email us a SECURITY@SGIS.COM for assistance or if you’d like to suggest further monthly topics, we would love to hear from you.

References:

1. National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, paragraph 1-302. Presidential Decision Directive NSC-12, Security Awareness and Reporting of Foreign Contacts, August 5, 1993.

2. Many ideas in this topic came from a NRO foreign intelligence threat awareness briefing.

3. DSS pamphlet, “Elicitation, Can you recognize it?”

A recent list published by US News & World Report titled “15 Government-Heavy (and Recession-Resistant) Cities” lists 15 cities in the U.S. where government jobs are heaviest. The numbers come from a Brookings Institution report released in June. According to the article,

“Metro areas where government is one of the main employers shed fewer jobs than other metro areas. Average employment in these government-heavy areas has fallen only by 1.3 percent between the fourth quarter of 2007 and the first quarter of 2009, compared with 4 percent losses for metro areas where the major industries are arts and entertainment or agriculture. “

The benefits of recession-resistant government jobs are felt by everyone – even those who are not working in federal government. These benefits, from more government activity, include money to spend on other parts of the local economy: education, health and nonprofit organizations. These areas tend to attract a variety of individuals, ranging from families looking for a better lifestyle, those going through a job change due to layoffs or graduating college students looking for a good start to their careers. It’s a simple cycle of progression: people making money spend their money thus improving their area and creating more jobs as a result.

Among the cities listed, four are home to SGIS offices.
Of those cities, we are proud to say we have offices located in:

• Washington Metro Area (Vienna office)
• Pasadena, Calif.
• Tampa, Fla.
• Orlando, Fla.

The report shows that government employment rates continue to hold strong. Recently, SGIS opened a new office in Fayetteville, N.C., and we continue to expand, but more importantly, we continue to hire. SGIS has grown exponentially in the past 7 years as shown by our awards and we’ve opened several offices nationwide in that short amount of time. In an economy that seems to be slipping, more individuals are looking to work in federal government-related fields. SGIS provides Intelligence Analysis, IT, Engineering/Integration, Training and Cyber Security solutions to the federal government. We work with various agencies supporting the Intelligence, Homeland Security and Defense communities. Some of our open positions include Resource Managers, Account Managers, Web Developers System Administrator/Integrators and Configuration Managers. To check our open jobs, you can visit our Careers page.

You can check out the entire US News & World Report list here and view all of our SGIS office locations on our website.

SGIS has joined with Rally for the Cure for our
4th Annual Charity Golf Tournament in support of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Time & Location
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2009
The Courses at Andrews Air Force Base, MD
Registration at 8:30 a.m.
Golf shotgun start at 9:30 a.m.
Lunch and awards at 3 p.m.

The Mission of Susan G. Komen for the Cure:
To spread awareness in the fight to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease and to help women realize that education and reinforcement of early detection is the best defense, until there is a cure.

Calling All Golfers!
Friends, colleagues, and community: You are invited to join us in supporting this event. We welcome individual players to be paired with a team, but encourage you to bring your own WINNING team! Come out and help support a cause that is so dear to SGIS. Can’t play in the tournament? Become a sponsor, donate to the prize pool or volunteer your time. No effort is too small! All proceeds will benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.