Protecting People, Property, and Information

Protecting People
The protection of life is the most critical element of the DS mission, and is an absolute requirement for the global conduct of foreign affairs.

In the United States, DS's Office of Protection protects the Secretary of State, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and cabinet-level foreign dignitaries who visit the United States. This office also assists foreign diplomatic missions in the United States on all security matters.

Abroad, the Office of Overseas Operations coordinates the Department's overseas security program with its network of regional security officers.

Protecting Property 
Diplomatic Security is dedicated to providing a secure living and working environment for our Foreign Service colleagues as they implement foreign policy and promote U.S. interests around the world. DS is responsible for protecting Department of State facilities both in the United States and at our diplomatic missions overseas.

Protecting Information

While terrorism is our primary concern, there is no question that incidents of espionage against the United States continue. Hostile intelligence groups still try to gather information from our facilities in the United States and from our missions abroad through surveillance, electronic eavesdropping, and attempts to recruit and manipulate our employees into committing acts of espionage.

DS conducts computer and communications security assessments of the Department's worldwide, automated information and telecommunications systems to protect the Department's sensitive information. Inspections and analyses prevent and detect any technical compromise of our classified information. Ensuring the availability and integrity of the Department's network of systems and information is essential to conducting diplomacy. As part of its comprehensive program for protecting information, DS maintains a 24/7 network monitoring capability that encompasses incident handling and reporting, threat analysis, technical security evaluation, and policy.

By delineating policies and procedures for handling, storing, and destroying sensitive information, DS educates Department employees on proper handling of classified information. DS develops policies to protect classified information entrusted to firms and individuals under contract to the State Department.

DS investigates information security violations in the Department of State, working with other U.S. Government investigators and counterintelligence components to conduct damage assessments when classified materials are compromised.