Some Amateur Radio preppers may have wondered why we couldn't utilize some subsets of OPSEC (Operations Security) in our preparations. Fact is, we can, with some limitations, simply by using any number of the amateur radio digital modes that we have at our fingertips.
First let's try to understand some fairly vague definitions of ham radio OPSEC, before we get into the notions of what we might do, and how to implement it.
Here's how our government, such as it is, thinks about communications OPSEC reasoning.
1. Identification of the critical information to be protected: In our case, that would be any data that we wouldn't want our neighbors to be aware of. If it's not important to protect, then just pick up a microphone and yack away; no protection necessary.
Example: you want to query a foodstuffs database to see how many cans of ravioli are available within your compound(s). I know, UGH! But this data is definitely not something you want the rest of the world to know about. OPSEC would apply.
2. Analysis of the threats: Knowing what information your adversaries require to meet their objectives is essential in determining what information is truly critical to an organization's mission effectiveness. This is somewhat similar to #1 above, in that it always involves data. It's up to you to determine how important it is.
3. Analysis of the vulnerabilities: Determining the organization's vulnerabilities involves systems analysis of how the operation or activity is actually conducted by the organization. Another way to think of this is to determine -- well in advance -- what it is that you communicate over the air waves, and how you can prevent those vulnerabilities.
4. Assessment of the risks: While your neighbors might not pose a horrific threat (and then again, maybe they would!), there are others, further up the, uh, food-chain, would definitely would.
5. Application of the countermeasures: Countermeasures need to be developed that eliminate the vulnerabilities, threats, or utility of the information to the adversaries. And this is where our transmitted signals (if not the rubber) meet the road.
Further questions / answers / information in this topic should prove to be interesting. My next posting will likely involve the "limitations" I spoke of earlier, with regard to our amateur radio Part 97 regulations and how they might affect our implementation of OPSEC. Stay tuned. Same frequency.
