US CrowThe shit just hit the fan and you’re king shit with all the guns, ammo, food and water a man could need. Well, guess what danger ranger… failure to abide by these guidelines will quickly make you a target. In this guide I will outline relatively simple SOP (standard operating procedures) for survival groups who’ve advanced their level of preparation.
OPSEC (operations security) is a military term for the protection of critical information deemed mission essential. OPSEC for preppers and survival groups means the exact same thing. Your survival group needs to protect itself to prevent the mission (which is survival) from being compromised. There are four OPSEC sub-elements you should actively be addressing;
- COMSEC Communications Security – Internet SOP and Encrypting Data Transmissions
- TRANSEC Transmission Security – Field Ops COMSEC Transmission Security Keys i.e. NATO SINCGARS/HAVEQUICK Equipped Radios
- PERSEC Personal Security – Social Discussions
- INFOSEC Information Security – Active Data Protection
OPSEC → COMSEC Communications Security
COMSEC encompasses internet, cellular/landline communication, and radio transmissions for the instance of prepping and survival group operations. Internet COMSEC inside the survival community is a very big deal. News flash sports fans, survival groups are an active target for DHS (Department of Homeland Security). According to DHS, the desire to defend your family is a threat to our country. You have to remember there are conspirators online who believe the same ideology. The biggest COMSEC threat is the information you volunteer on social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Etc…
Social networks are a hotbed of COMSEC violations. COMSEC violations like ‘Here’s a photo of my two-year food/water/ammo supply’ leave a trail for CYBERCOM, and can be used against you by those in your social networks. If you still feel the need to brag about how much you’ve prepped, open a spoof account under an alias name. Do not sign up with an email, name, birth date and etc. that can be discovered through the sharing of contacts on mobile devices (which should be disabled for good measure). Do not turn around and accept contacts that live within a reasonable proximity to you and know who you are. Otherwise you might as well draw them a map…
A common misconception is the security of emails. Email providers will inform users when they are subpoenaed by federal agents for your data. However, this does not mean your email can not be compromised by CYBERCOM. If you’re email isn’t adequately encrypted do not send mission sensitive information. Services like Sendinc provide 256-bit SSL CAC/PKI email encryption services.
A sub-element of COMSEC is TRANSEC or transmission security between radios and between cellular devices. TRANSEC is typically applied in field operations, a more advanced form of prepping and survival training for COTM (communication on the move). Unit communication during a patrol requires TRANSEC to prevent detection, and eavesdropping. Failure to secure communication will pose a threat when SHTF. You never know who’s listening, focus on practicing secure COTM transmissions by;
- Changing Radio Frequencies and Call Signs
- Imposing Radio Silence
- Authorization Codes
- Communications Authentication
- Cancelling/Altering Transmission Patterns
- Classified Record Communication
- NATO SINCGARS/HAVEQUICK Equipped Radios
- Battlefield Communications Read on MILSAT
OPSEC → PERSEC Personal Security
PERSEC is commonly used to inform service member relatives and friends, and can be applied to survival groups and preppers. PERSEC focuses the information you provide to personal friends and families about mission essential information. PERSEC compromise happens when you tell the wrong person you have 10,000 rounds of ammunition in your survival bunker. Looks like Johnny Badass knows where he’s going to resupply.
Be aware of those you allow in your circle of trust. If you can’t accommodate, you can’t accommodate. It’s highly unlikely you’ll have enough supplies to sustain all of your relatives and friends. Trim your circle down. If you’re cousin doesn’t prep or share your beliefs, their unlikely to contribute. Moms, Dads, Grandparents, Brothers, Sisters, Sons, and Daughters are clearly an exception to the rule. Acquaintances are not friends, and sometimes friends aren’t really friends. Friends that prep and you know well will make excellent additions, which is the foundation of a survival group i.e. militia.
Know your neighbors! I can’t stress this enough. You don’t want to be surprised by your neighbor who just got out of the penitentiary for attempted murder. Not only should you identify hostile personalities, you should evaluate whether or not your neighbors will be knocking on your door. Desperate times, desperate people. Be mindful of watchful eyes and hide your prepping and training. Basically, don’t be seen carrying tons of food, don’t brag about your garden and definitely don’t let them see you carrying multiple firearms.
OPSEC → INFOSEC Information Security
INFOSEC applies to the protection of unauthorized access of information stored in hard drives, notebooks, personal devices, and etc. Such sensitive data in the survival field would include ordnance information, asset location, manuals and supply listings. If you must store information that is essential to your survival, be sure to store your data on an external hard drive that can’t be accessed by your network. Use the leap method to transfer the data from your personal computer to your external hard drive to prevent network connectivity.
To achieve real security on your home computer is a bit more advanced. For networked personal computer use, programs like docLock claim to have military grade Windows OS encryption. With programs like these you can secure folders and drives for non-mission essential data.
http://uscrow.org/2013/05/24/opsec-for-preppers-and-survival-groups/