New internet blog trend threatens OPSEC Published Jan. 12, 2006 By Master Sgt. Mick Cook OPSEC program manager Hurlburt Field, Fla. -- Operational security is not something that should be put on the back burner and taken lightly. With an Internet connection, Airmen can send and post messages around the world instantly after an event happens. Details can be transmitted back to family and friends in the form of e-mails, and with new technology, can be posted in seconds on the Web’s fastest growing trend, a Web log. A Web log is a personal Web site that contains dated entries of personal opinions, thoughts and essays. Web logs often feature links to news articles or other “blogs” on the Internet. Just as blogs can provide family and friends with information, blogs can also provide an opportunity for the enemy to gain valuable information that can be used in future attacks. What may seem like innocent information could be valuable knowledge to someone who knows what they are looking for. Much of the information that is collected by terrorist organizations is a compilation of information gathered from unclassified sources. Airmen are representatives of the U.S. military, and their words can be taken to reflect the views of the U.S. government. Something as simple as a negative comment written in frustration can be used by the enemy to portray the multinational forces unfavorably. What is posted on a Web log is free to the public; it can be used by the media and quoted to represent the facts and opinions of the military. In this sense, the views of a disgruntled Airman could be published as the views of all service members, disrupting morale and esprit de corps, but more importantly, the mission. Some important areas of sensitivity in military situations are: military movements, activities, specific unit information and base security. Specific times or dates of future operations or movements should never be disclosed. Even figures such as guard-duty hours or specific work hours shouldn’t be discussed. The enemy, like a thief or robber, watches for patterns to learn when is the best time to strike. The element of surprise is an important factor in many operations. The location of future or current operations should not be disclosed. Sensitive but unclassified information is not acceptable to transmit on the phone, letters or e-mails - consequently they are off limits for the Web. Photos of deployed locations are never allowed on a personal Web site unless cleared through public affairs and an OPSEC professional. Al Qaeda retrieved 80 percent of thier intelligence from open-source material when it attacked the United States on Sept. 11. Don’t let the information posted on a personal Web site or blog aid the terroists their next attack.