Operations Security, or OPSEC, is the process by which we protect unclassified information that can be used against us.  OPSEC challenges us to look at ourselves through the eyes of an adversary (individuals, groups, countries, organizations). Essentially, anyone who can harm people, resources, or mission is an adversary.

OPSEC should be used to protect information, and thereby deny the adversary the ability to act.  Nearly 90% of the information collected comes from “Open Sources”. Any information that can be obtained freely, without breaking the law, is Open Source.  .  It is social network sites, tweets, text messages, blogs, videos, photos, GPS mapping, newsletters, magazine or newspaper articles, your college thesis, or anything else that is publicly available.

Our OPSEC objective is to ensure a safe and secure environment. OPSEC is best employed daily when making choices about what communications to use, what is written in emails or said on the phone, postings  on social networking sites and blogs.  Any information you put in the public domain is also available to your adversaries. 

The bottom line is that we can be are our own worst enemy.  Google yourself or your organization and see how much you can find out.