Operations Security (OPSEC)

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Welcome to the first Operations security (OPSEC) community on Lemmy!

This is a space dedicated to discussing, sharing, and learning about operational security practices. Whether you are a business owner, a cybersecurity expert, or just a regular person, you can always benefit from a little extra OPSEC in your life.

Community Guidelines

As we belong to Lemmy.zip all of their guidelines apply on top of ours.

  1. Stay on topic:

    • Keep discussions related to OPSEC only
    • If your post is about this community instead of OPSEC prepend [META] to the title

  2. No illegal content:

    • Do not discuss, promote, or engage in illegal activities
    • While OPSEC can be used for criminal activity, we will not offer assistance to anyone planning to use it for such

  3. Quality Content:

    • Provide only good, factual and credible advice
    • Avoid spreading misinformation or unverified claims
    • Avoid low-effort posts, spam, and sensationalism
    • Do not post AI-generated content; anyone can ask ChatGPT for assistance so do what you do best: be a human
    • Anyone giving blatantly false advice will be permanently banned

  4. No Self-Promotion:

    • Refrain from excessive self-promotion or advertising
    • Occasional sharing of personal projects is allowed if it benefits the community

  5. Threat Models:

    • Do not ask for advice without mentioning your threat model
    • Do not provide advice ridiculously outside the asker's threat model
    • Do not provide advice without knowing the asker's threat model

What is OPSEC?

Operations security (OPSEC) is a process that identifies critical information to determine whether friendly actions can be observed by enemy intelligence, determines if information obtained by adversaries could be interpreted to be useful to them, and then executes selected measures that eliminate or reduce adversary exploitation of friendly critical information.

In simpler terms, it is the process of finding vulnerabilities that an adversary could exploit and patching them, thereby reducing your attack surface.

OPSEC is NOT a synonym for cybersecurity. It can encompass it; however, it also revolves around physical security.

Useful resources

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Threat Modelling 101 (lemmy.zip)
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Guide to Determining Your Threat Model

Creating a solid threat model is an essential step in improving your operations security (OPSEC). It helps you identify potential threats, assess their impact, and prioritize your defenses. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you develop your own threat model.

1. Define Your Assets

First, list the things you want to protect. These might include:

  • Personal Information: Name, address, phone number, Social Security number, etc.
  • Financial Information: Bank account details, credit card numbers, financial records.
  • Digital Assets: Emails, social media accounts, documents, photos.
  • Physical Assets: Home, devices (computers, smartphones, etc.).

2. Identify Potential Threats

Next, think about who or what could pose a threat to your assets. Possible threats include:

  • Hackers: Individuals or groups looking to steal data or money.
  • Government Agencies: Law enforcement or intelligence agencies conducting surveillance.
  • Corporations: Companies collecting data for marketing or other purposes.
  • Insiders: Employees or contractors who might misuse their access.
  • Physical Threats: Burglars or thieves aiming to physically access your assets.

3. Assess Your Vulnerabilities

Identify weaknesses that these threats could exploit. Consider:

  • Technical Vulnerabilities: Unpatched software, weak passwords, outdated systems.
  • Behavioral Vulnerabilities: Poor security habits, lack of awareness.
  • Physical Vulnerabilities: Insecure physical locations, lack of physical security measures.

4. Determine the Potential Impact

Think about the consequences if your assets were compromised. Ask yourself:

  • How critical is the asset?
  • What would happen if it were accessed, stolen, or damaged?
  • Could compromising this asset lead to further vulnerabilities?

5. Prioritize Your Risks

Based on your assessment, rank your risks by considering:

  • Likelihood: How probable is it that a specific threat will exploit a particular vulnerability?
  • Impact: How severe would the consequences be if the threat succeeded?

6. Develop Mitigation Strategies

Create a plan to address the most critical risks. Strategies might include:

  • Technical Measures:

    • Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication.
    • Keep your software and systems up to date with the latest security patches.
    • Use encryption to protect sensitive data.

  • Behavioral Measures:

    • Be cautious with sharing personal information online.
    • Stay informed about common scams and phishing tactics.
    • Regularly review your privacy settings on social media and other platforms.

  • Physical Measures:

    • Secure your devices with locks and use physical security measures for your home or office.
    • Store sensitive documents in a safe place.
    • Be mindful of your surroundings and use privacy screens in public places.

7. Continuously Review and Update

Your threat model isn’t a one-time project. Review and update it regularly as your situation changes or new threats emerge.

Example Threat Model

  1. Assets:

    • Personal Information (e.g., SSN, address)
    • Financial Information (e.g., bank accounts)
    • Digital Assets (e.g., emails, social media)
    • Physical Assets (e.g., laptop, phone)

  2. Threats:

    • Hackers (e.g., phishing attacks)
    • Government Agencies (e.g., surveillance)
    • Corporations (e.g., data collection)
    • Insiders (e.g., disgruntled employees)
    • Physical Threats (e.g., theft)

  3. Vulnerabilities:

    • Weak passwords
    • Outdated software
    • Sharing too much information online
    • Insecure physical locations

  4. Potential Impact:

    • Identity theft
    • Financial loss
    • Loss of privacy
    • Compromise of additional accounts

  5. Prioritize Risks:

    • High Likelihood/High Impact: Weak passwords leading to account compromise.
    • Low Likelihood/High Impact: Government surveillance leading to loss of privacy.

  6. Mitigation Strategies:

    • Use a password manager and enable two-factor authentication.
    • Regularly update all software and devices.
    • Limit the amount of personal information shared online.
    • Use a home security system and lock devices.