Home/Preface
Targeting U.S. Technologies:
A Trend Analysis of Reporting from Defense Industry
The Defense Security Service (DSS) is chartered to work in partnership with defense industry to protect critical technologies and information. An essential component of that effort is a requirement for defense contractors, who have access to classified material or “Cleared Defense Contractors,” to identify and report suspicious contacts and potential collection attempts, as outlined in the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM). DSS publishes this annual report based on an analysis of those Suspicious Contact Reports (SCRs) that DSS considers indicative of efforts by entities to target defense-related information and personnel.
This publication is intended to assist security officials, cleared defense contractors, intelligence professionals, and Department of Defense policymakers and decision makers assess the technology collection threat and implement appropriate security countermeasures. Based on analysis of SCRs received from defense industry, this publication identifies the most frequently targeted U.S. technologies, reflects the most common collection methods utilized, identifies entities attempting the collection, and identifies the regions where these collection efforts originate.
DSS encourages all Facility Security Officers to use information in this report to supplement security awareness and education programs at their facilities. In addition to increasing threat awareness within the industrial base, the additional SCRs generated by robust training efforts further contribute to the integrity of this annual analytical product. Timely submission of SCRs to DSS field offices is critical to an effective Industrial Security Program.
This document would not be possible without the strong support of Facility Security Officers within the U.S. cleared defense industry. DSS thanks the employees of the U.S. cleared defense industry for their continued support of the NISPOM and their contributions to this annual publication.
KATHLEEN M. WATSON
Director
Defense Security Service