Security Clearance Information
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The document provides definitions for over 100 security and suitability terms used in clearance processes. It covers terminology related to investigation types, clearance levels and categories, adjudication procedures, and position risk designations. Key terms defined include active clearance, adjudicative guidelines, background investigation, classified information, security clearance, public trust position, and single scope background investigation.
Security Clearance Information
- 1. ClearanceJobs Security and Suitability Clearance Golossary —A— Classified Information — The three levels CRYPTO — Cryptographic. A category of of classified national security information classified information at the Secret and Active Clearance — Security clearance are: Confidential, Secret and Top Secret. Top Secret levels related to cryptographic status where the individual granted a There are categories of classified logic, keys and authenticators that require clearance currently occupies a position for information, such as SCI, SAP and COMSEC, , special access controls and briefings. which the clearance is required. within these three levels requiring Current Clearance — Commonly used term Adjudicative Guidelines — Document special safeguarding and access controls to describe the status of an individual’s containing the 13 criteria used by that exceed those normally required for security clearance where the clearance federal security clearance adjudicators information at the same classification has terminated but is eligible for to determine an applicant’s eligibility level. reinstatement. for access to classified national security CNWDI — Critical Nuclear Weapons Design information. CUI — Controlled Unclassified Information. Information. A category of Department Unclassified information pertinent to the ANACI — Access National Agency Check of Defense (DoD) Secret and Top Secret national interest of the United States with Inquiries. Type of personnel security Restricted Data that reveals the theory or to the important interests of entities investigation required for initial-hire of operation or design of the components outside the Federal Government. Other federal employees who need a Confidential of a thermonuclear or fission weapon or unclassified information protected by or Secret clearance or a DoE “L” Access test device. Special access controls and law from unauthorized disclosure is also Authorization. briefings are required for CNWDI. designated CUI. (See also FOUO and SBU.) —B— COMSEC — Communications Security. CVS — Clearance Verification System. Protective measures taken to deny BI — Background Investigation. Type of Investigation and clearance database unauthorized persons information personnel security investigation conducted system operated by OPM and accessible derived from telecommunications of the for High-Risk Public Trust Positions. BI to federal security personnel. CVS U.S. Government relating to national is also used as a generic term for any will eventually replace OPM’s older SII security and to ensure the authenticity personnel security investigation. database. CVS has linkage to DoD’s JPAS of such communications. COMSEC is also database. —C— a category of classified information that requires special safeguarding, access CAF — Central Adjudication Facility. The —D— restrictions and briefings. office of a federal agency that adjudicates DCII — Defense Central Index of all security clearance for that agency. COSMIC Top Secret — Control Of Secret Investigations. Computer database Within the Department of Defense there Material in an International Command. The that contains listings of criminal and are 10 CAFs (Army, Navy, Air Force, DISCO, term used for NATO Top Secret information security investigations conducted by DoD JCS, WHS, DIA, NSA, NGA and NRO). and clearances. investigative agencies. The DCII is no longer being updated with new clearance CONTINUED>> Build your own personal network of cleared candidates on The Cleared Network – only on ClearanceJobs.com. 1.877.386.3323 • www.clearancejobs.com SECURITY CLEARANCE JOBS FOR U.S. CITIZENS
- 2. data. Since July 2005, new clearance data security clearance where the clearance —J— are being entered into the Joint Personnel has terminated and is no longer eligible JPAS — Joint Personnel Adjudication Adjudication System (JPAS). for reinstatement because time limits for System. Web-based system that connects reinstatement have been exceeded. DISCO — Defense Industrial Security security personnel with a database used Clearance Office. Component of DSS that —F— to initiate and manage DoD personnel processes, adjudicates and grants security security investigations and clearances. It FOUO — For Official Use Only. Protective clearances for industrial (contractor) is managed by DoD Central Adjudication marking used to identify unclassified personnel under the National Industrial Facilities (CAFs) and is composed of sensitive government information requiring Security Program (NISP). two subsystems: Joint Adjudication special handling and access controls. Management System (JAMS) and Joint DOHA — Defense Office of Hearings and Clearance Access Verification System FRD — Formerly Restricted Data. Classified Appeals. Component of the Defense Legal (JCAVS). information which has been removed Services Agency that issues decisions in from the Restricted Data category after security clearance cases for contractor —L— Department of Energy (DoE) and DoD personnel doing work for DoD components LAA — Limited Access Authorization. have jointly determined that it relates and 20 other Federal Agencies and Permission granted by the Federal primarily to the military utilization of Departments. It also conducts personal Government to non-U.S. citizens for access atomic weapons and can be adequately appearances for DoD civilian employee to classified national security information safeguarded as national security and military personnel security clearance where the non-U.S. citizen possesses information. appeals. unique or unusual skill or expertise that —H— is urgently needed to support a specific DSS — Defense Security Service. Formerly HSPD-12 — Homeland Security Presidential government project involving access to known as the Defense Investigative Service Directive Number 12. Mandates a specified classified information and a (DIS). DSS is responsible for administering standard for secure and reliable forms cleared or clearable U.S. citizen is not the National Industrial Security Program of identification for personnel requiring readily available. (NISP) and providing security education and training to DoD and other federal physical or logical access to federal “L” Access Authorization — DoE clearance personnel and contractors. facilities or computer systems. Sponsorship that authorizes access up to Secret plus a favorably adjudicated NACI are Formerly Restricted Data and Secret —E— needed to obtain a Personal Identity National Security Information. eQIP — Electronic Questionnaires for Verification (PIV) card required by this Investigations Processing. Web-based directive. LBI — Limited Background Investigation. versions of OPM Standard Forms 85, Type of personnel security investigation —I— used for Moderate-Risk or High-Risk Public 85P 85PS and 86 used for initiating , federal personnel security investigations. Interim Security Clearance — Temporary Trust positions. The eQIP version of the SF86 replaced security clearance based on the favorable completion of minimum investigative LOD — Letter of Denial. Letter issued by DoD’s Electronic Personnel Security requirements, pending the completion of a security clearance adjudication facility Questionnaire (EPSQ). the full investigative requirements for the informing an applicant of a final decision Expired Clearance — Commonly used term final clearance determination. to deny the applicant a security clearance to describe the status of an individual’s and of the applicant’s right to appeal the CONTINUED>> Build your own personal network of cleared candidates on The Cleared Network – only on ClearanceJobs.com. 1.877.386.3323 • www.clearancejobs.com SECURITY CLEARANCE JOBS FOR U.S. CITIZENS
- 3. decision to the agency’s Personnel Security NACLC — National Agency Check with Local Counterintelligence-Scope or Full- Appeals Board. Agency Checks and Credit Check. Type Scope (lifestyle and counterintelligence of personnel security investigation used questions). LOI — Letter of Intent. Letter that for Confidential and Secret clearances accompanies a “Statement of Reasons” PPR — Phased Periodic Reinvestigation. or for DoE “L” access authorizations. explaining why a tentative decision to Abbreviated form of the Single Scope This investigation is not authorized for deny a security clearance was made and Background Investigation – Periodic initial-hire federal employees requiring offering the applicant an opportunity to Reinvestigation (SSBI-PR). The PPR is an a security clearance or a DoE “L” Access rebut or mitigate the reasons. optional form of the SSBI-PR reserved for Authorization. personnel with no unfavorable information Loss of Jurisdiction — Status of an —O— listed in their clearance application. individual’s security clearance when employment for the required clearance OHA — Office of Hearings and Appeals. PR — Periodic Reinvestigation. terminates after a clearance action is Component of the Department of Energy Reinvestigations required at specific initiated but before a final determination (DoE) responsible for conducting hearings intervals to maintain a security clearance is made to grant, continue, deny or revoke and issuing decisions involving personnel or a designated public trust position. the clearance. security clearance cases of DoE employees and contractors. PRSI — Personal Subject Interview. In —M— depth interview of the subject of a OPM/FISD — Office of Personnel personnel security investigation by a MBI — Minimum Background Investigation. Management/Federal Investigative Services security investigator. The PRSI is a standard Type of personnel security investigation Division. Principal supplier of personnel component of the SSBI, SSBI-PR, PPR, BI, used for Moderate-Risk Public Trust security investigations to the Federal MBI, LBI, and PT-SBI. positions. Government. PSI — Personal Security Investigation. Term —N— —P— that encompasses all types of background NAC — National Agency Check. Basic investigations used to determine Period of Coverage — Also known as the component of all federal personnel employment suitability and security Period of Investigation. Standard period security investigations. As a minimum all clearance eligibility. of time covered by a Personnel Security NACs include a check of FBI Headquarters Investigation (PSI). Each type of PSI records, an FBI technical fingerprint has an overall period of coverage and search, and a check of OPM and DoD specific periods of coverage for individual Public Trust Position — Designated investigative databases. components (i.e. employment, police federal employee and contractor positions NACI — National Agency Check with records, and education) of a PSI. that, due to the sensitive unclassified Inquiries. Type of personnel security responsibilities of the positions, require Polygraph — Device that measures and investigation used for determining federal suitability determinations based on records physiological responses while a employment suitability or for the issuance personnel security investigations. Public subject answers a series of questions. It of a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Trust positions are designated as either relies on the belief that false answers card required by HSPD-12. An NACI plus Moderate-Risk or High-Risk. Public Trust will produce distinctive measurements. credit check can be used as the basis for position include positions designated ADP-I, Polygraph examinations are used as contractor Moderate-Risk Public Trust ADP-II, ADP-III, IT-1, IT-2, IT-3, IT-5, IT-6, an adjunct to an SSBI for some Special positions. 5C and 6C. Access Programs and can be either Build your own personal network of cleared candidates on The Cleared Network – only on ClearanceJobs.com. 1.877.386.3323 • www.clearancejobs.com SECURITY CLEARANCE JOBS FOR U.S. CITIZENS
- 4. PT-SBI — Public Trust-Special Background level (does not include COMSEC, CRYPTO, Security Clearance — Determination Investigation. Type of personnel security or CNWDI). SAPs are categorized as made by a government personnel security investigation conducted for selected High- intelligence, acquisition and operations/ adjudicator that an individual’s access to Risk Public Trust positions. support. They are also categorized as classified information is clearly consistent acknowledged, unacknowledged and with the interests of national security. —Q— waived. Among adjudicators the term “Security “Q” Access Authorization — DoE Clearance” is being replaced by the term SBU — Sensitive But Unclassified. Term clearance that authorizes access up to “Eligibility for Access.” that is being replaced by “Controlled Top Secret Restricted Data and Top Secret Unclassified Information.” (See also CUI SF85 — Standard Form 85. Questionnaire National Security Information. and FOUO). for Non-Sensitive Positions. Form used —R— as the basis for a NACI to determine Scattered Castles — Consolidated an individual’s suitability for federal RD — Restricted Data. Classified personnel security investigation and employment in non-sensitive positions information defined by the Atomic Energy clearance database of U.S. Intelligence or to hold certain non-sensitive federal Act as concerning: 1) design, manufacture, Community personnel. The database is contractor positions. or utilization of atomic weapons; 2) operated and maintained by the Director production of special nuclear material; or of National Intelligence. SF85P — Standard Form 85P Questionnaire . 3) use of special nuclear material in the for Public Trust Positions. Form used as production of energy. RD is considered a SCI — Sensitive Compartmented the basis for an investigation to determine special access program. Information. Category of classified an individual’s suitability to hold a Public information with many separate Trust position. RRU — Request for Research/Recertify/ subcategories or compartments that Upgrade Eligibility. Direct notification imposes safeguarding and access SF85P-S — Standard Form 85P-S. to the appropriate CAF through JPAS of restrictions that exceed those normally Supplemental Questionnaire for Selected any personnel security clearance status required for information at the same Positions. Form used in addition to the changes a JPAS user cannot make within classification level. SCI is a Special Access SF85P as the basis for an investigation the system. Program (SAP) involving intelligence to determine an individual’s suitability sources, methods or analytical processes. to hold selected High-Risk Public Trust RSI — Reimbursable Suitability/Security SCI has three sensitivity levels — SSBI positions. Investigations. Specific investigative without polygraph, SSBI with CI-Scope actions to gather information to resolve SF86 — Standard Form 86. Questionnaire polygraph and SSBI with Full-Scope issues that surfaced during a standard OPM for National Security Positions. Form polygraph. personnel security investigation. used as the basis for an investigation to Scope of Investigation — Standard determine an individual’s eligibility for a —S— components of an investigation, such security clearance or for continuation of SAP — Special Access Program. Program as character references, employment an existing security clearance. established for a specific category of records, credit report, police records classified information that imposes SII — Security/Suitability Investigations checks, national agency checks and safeguarding and access requirements Index. OPM’s computer database of educational records. The term “scope” that exceed those normally required for investigations accessible to federal is often misused to describe an information at the same classification security personnel. investigation’s “Period of Coverage.” Build your own personal network of cleared candidates on The Cleared Network – only on ClearanceJobs.com. 1.877.386.3323 • www.clearancejobs.com SECURITY CLEARANCE JOBS FOR U.S. CITIZENS
- 5. SOR — Statement of Reason. Document from a security clearance adjudication facility advising an applicant of the specific reason(s) why the adjudication facility intends to deny or revoke a security clearance. The SOR also advises the applicant of his/her right to submit a written rebuttal and/or mitigating information regarding the allegations and in the case of contractors, the additional right to a hearing before an administrative judge. SPIN — Special Interview. Subject interview to address specific unresolved issues developed during a standard OPM personnel security investigation. SSBI — Single Scope Background Investigation. Type of personnel security investigation used for Top Secret clearances, DoE “Q” access authorizations, Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and other designated Special Access Programs (SAP). Compiled by William H. Henderson, author of Security Clearance Manual Build your own personal network of cleared candidates on The Cleared Network – only on ClearanceJobs.com. 1.877.386.3323 • www.clearancejobs.com SECURITY CLEARANCE JOBS FOR U.S. CITIZENS