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Intro to Nat Sec Adjudication-PS001.18
Exam Questions With Verified Answers
What are some national security considerations? - answer✔National Defense, foreign relations,
insider threats
What are some characteristics that are required for someone to hold a sensitive position? -
answer✔Loyal, trustworthy, and reliable
What is the intent of the PSP? - answer✔The PSP aims to alleviate national security risks and
protect national security by ensuring that only loyal, trustworthy, and reliable individuals are
assigned to national security sensitive positions.
What are some Counterintelligence risks? - answer✔Potential threats and vulnerabilities to
National Security, human intelligence threats, outsider threats, insider threats
What are some CI risk indicators? - answer✔Unsolicited requests for scientific and
technological info, inappropriate conduct during visits, suspicious work offers, targeting at
international exhibits/seminars/conventions, exploitation of joint ventures/research,
acquisitions of tech/companies, co-opting of current/former employees, targeting cultural
commonalities
What are outsider threats? - answer✔Threats from individuals who do not have legitimate
access to protected materials (US citizens and foreign intelligence are examples). These threats
can come from allied countries. Some countries that have targeted the US include Russia,
China, South Africa, Ghana, Saudi, Libya, Jordan, France, Israel, Taiwan, Philippines, Cuba, and El
Salvador
What are insider threats? - answer✔An insider threat comes from someone who, wittingly or
unwittingly, does harm to the security of the United States.
What are some known espionage indicators? - answer✔Extensive foreign travel, disregard for
security regulations, unnecessary overtime or unusual work hours, unexplained affluence -
doesn't mean they will commit espionage but will make adjudicators work to ensure that these
indicators are looked into further
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Is every security violation a vulnerability? - answer✔Yes
What are some reasons people commit espionage? - answer✔A commonly exploited
vulnerability is also the most basic — greed. Foreign connections, hostage situations, ideology,
sex, love, and a grudge against the government have all motivated American citizens to commit
espionage. Usually, when multiple motivations are present, at least one of the factors involved
is greed.
What are some warning signs that someone may be involved with terrorism? - answer✔Odd
things said during a conversation like they have inside information about an upcoming terrorist
attack, reading unusual materials like how-to guides on explosives or have multiple IDs,
collecting information that normally would not be collected on (building plans, airport control
procedures, or pipeline locations)
What are some challenges to personnel security? - answer✔Competing loyalties, allegiance
issues are increasingly difficult to assess, US citizens aligning themselves with terrorist
organizations
What is the purpose of the PSP? - answer✔The PSP serves as a way to make a reasonable
determination that individuals granted eligibility for access to classified information or assigned
to national security sensitive positions are and will remain loyal, trustworthy, and reliable.
Intelligence threats to national security only come from outside the US. - answer✔False
There is no difference between a threat and a vulnerability. - answer✔False. Threats and
vulnerabilities are related, but distinct. Threats to national security exploit vulnerabilities.
A common vulnerability is greed. - answer✔True
Individuals who make frequent trips to Vienna cannot be granted a national security eligibility. -
answer✔False
What executive orders that govern the PSP? - answer✔E.O 10450 (security requirement for all
gov employees - APR 1953)
EO 12968 (established a uniform federal PSP - AUG 1995)
EO 13467 (established a consistent and unified PSP - JUN 2008)
EO 13764 (modernized the executive branch-wide governance and process for security
clearances - JAN 2017)
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EO 13869 (Transferred responsibility for federal government background investigations from
OPM to DOD and renamed the Defense Security Service (DSS) as the Defense
Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) - APR 2019)
What National Policies govern the PSP? - answer✔Intel Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of
2004 (DEC 2004; reciprocity of national security eligibility/access decisions and reduce amount
of time to obtain eligibility)
Bond Amendment (JAN 2008; prohibits granting/renewing clearances for people incarcerated
for more than 1 year, been dishonorably discharged, declared mentally incompetent, or
unlawful user/addict of controlled substances)
Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 732 (JAN 2012; national security positions)
Federal investigative standards (DEC 2012; FIS signed by DNI and OPM)
FIS Implementation Plan (MAR 2014; phased implementation timelines for new investigations)
What documents the authorities assigned to the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) in the
role as the Security Executive Agent (SecEA)? - answer✔Security Executive Agent Directorate
(SEAD) 1 overview (created MAR 2012)
What does SEAD 2 cover? - answer✔Use of Polygraph in Support of Personnel Security
Determinations for Initial or Continued Eligibility for Access to Classified Information or
Eligibility to Hold a Sensitive Position (revised SEP 2020) support of personnel security
determinations for initial or continued eligibility for access or eligibility.
What does SEAD 3 cover? - answer✔Establishes reporting requirements for all covered
individuals who have access to classified information or hold a sensitive position (signed JUN
2017)
What does SEAD 4 cover? - answer✔National Security Adjudicative Guidelines (JUN 2017)
requires single, common adjudicative criteria for all covered individuals who require initial or
continued eligibility for access to classified info or hold a sensitive position
What does SEAD 5 cover? - answer✔Provides for Collection, Use, and Retention of Publicly
Available Social Media Information in Personnel Security Background Investigations and
Adjudications (May 2016). Addresses the collection and use of publicly available social media
during the conduct of personnel security background investigations and adjudications for initial
or continued eligibility for access to classified info or eligibility to hold a sensitive position and
retention of such info
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What does SEAD 6 cover? - answer✔Continuous Evaluation establishes policy and requirements
for the continuous evaluation of covered individuals who require continued eligibility for access
to classified information or eligibility to hold a sensitive position (JAN 2018)
What does SEAD 7 cover? - answer✔Reciprocity of Background Investigations and National
Security Adjudications (NOV 2018). Requirements for reciprocal acceptance of background
investigations and adjudications for initial or continued eligibility
What does SEAD 8 cover? - answer✔Temporary Eligibility (MAY 2020). Provides policy guidance
and requirements on granting temporary (interim) access to classified info, outlines specific
criteria all agencies must ensure are met before granting someone interim security clearance
What is ICD? - answer✔Intelligence Community Directive
What is ICD 704 (OCT 2008)? - answer✔Directs the implementation of the PSP within the
intelligence community. Personnel Security Standards and Procedures governing eligibility for
access to sensitive compartmented info and other controlled access program info. Lays out
standards and procedures for access to SCI.
What is ICPG? - answer✔Intelligence Community Policy Guidance
What is ICPG 704.3 (OCT 2008)? - answer✔Denial or revocation of access to sensitive
compartmented info, other controlled access program info, and appeals process. Mandates
that subjects who have been considered for and denied initial or continued access to SCI shall
be afforded an opportunity to appeal the denial or revocation of such access.
What governs the implementation of the PSP within the DOD? - answer✔DoDI 5200.02 "DOD
Personnel Security Program" and DoDM 5200.02 "Procedures for the DOD Personnel Security
Program
Explain DoDI 5200.2. - answer✔Ensured the DOD PSP policies and procedures are aligned using
consistent standards to the extent possible; provide for reciprocal recognition of existing
investigations and adjudications, are to be cost-effective, timely, and provide efficient protect
of the national interest, and provide fair treatment of those upon whom the Federal
government relies on to conduct the Nation's business and protect national security.
Explain DoDM 5200.02. - answer✔Establishes and maintains the DOD personnel security
policies and procedures, set the standards and criteria upon which national security
adjudication determinations are based, prescribe required personnel security investigations,
and assign overall program management responsibilities
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