CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED// ROUTINE R 211759Z DEC 22 MID200080612320U FM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC TO ALNAV INFO SECNAV WASHINGTON DC CNO WASHINGTON DC CMC WASHINGTON DC BT UNCLAS ALNAV 085/22 MSGID/GENADMIN/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC/-/DEC// SUBJ/OPERATIONS SECURITY AWARENESS MONTH// REF/A/SECNAVINST 3070.2A/09MAY2019// REF/B/DODINST 8170.1/24AUG2021// REF/C/OUSD MEMO/22JUN2021// REF/D/DEPSECDEF MEMO/03AUG2018// REF/E/NAVAL OPSEC SUPPORT TEAM/WEB// REF/F/MARINE CORPS OPSEC SUPPORT TEAM WEB// AMPN/REF A IS SECNAV OPSEC POLICY. REF B IS DOD POLICY ON ONLINE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND ELECTRONIC MESSAGING. REF C IS DOD MEMO ON INFORMATION AND OPSEC RISKS POSED BY NON-GOVERNMENT WEBSITES AND APPLICATIONS. REF D IS DOD GUIDANCE ON THE USE OF GEOLOCATION-CAPABLE DEVICES, APPLICATIONS, AND SERVICES. REF E IS THE NAVAL OPSEC SUPPORT TEAM WEBSITE AT WWW.NAVIFOR.USFF.NAVY.MIL/OPSEC. REF F IS THE MARINE CORPS OPSEC SUPPORT TEAM WEBSITE AT HTTPS://INTELSHARE.INTELINK.GOV/SITES/MCIOC/MOST.// RMKS/1. This message announces the Department of the Navy observance of and participation in National Operations Security (OPSEC) Awareness Month during January 2023. 2. The theme for OPSEC Awareness Month is Protecting Critical Information. Per reference (a), every command is required to maintain a critical information list (CIL) detailing the specific categories of unclassified information that must be protected based on the organization's mission and the threat environment. In order to maintain our warfighting advantage, we must protect our critical information. This requires personnel to accurately identify information requiring control and to understand and abide by protection measures. 3. We operate and communicate in an electronic information environment where information is continually at risk. Potential adversaries have robust cyber collection capabilities and data aggregation efforts designed to collect against publicly available information. Even seemingly small or insignificant details are being aggregated and weaponized to provide valuable insight to our adversaries. We must not trade security for online convenience. 4. Commanders and Commanding Officers: a. Use OPSEC Awareness Month as an opportunity to refresh your command's program and emphasize the importance of OPSEC to your mission. Review, update, or validate your CIL and ensure it is common knowledge among command personnel. Complete required annual training. b. Understand the risk of unauthorized disclosure and use your best judgement when considering administrative use of commercial apps within your organization. Prior to authorizing the use of commercial apps, read and understand the entire terms of service and provide refresher training to all command members on the unit CIL. Per references (b) and (c), official Department of Defense information may not be transmitted via commercial e- mail or apps. c. Prior to deployment, conduct family outreach to ensure broad awareness of OPSEC guidelines, including best practices for social media use. d. Per reference (d), when in an operational environment or Combatant Command -designated operating area, conduct a comprehensive, threat-based OPSEC assessment prior to authorizing the use of geolocation capable devices. Ensure all personnel are familiar with the Combatant Command's CIL (which takes precedence in the operating area) and understand how to protect critical information from unauthorized disclosure. 5. All personnel shall: a. Be familiar with your unit's CIL and protect critical information. b. Exercise vigilance and sound judgment when operating in the electronic information environment. Review security and location settings for apps and social media. Use only encrypted, U.S. government-provisioned methods to transmit critical information and only share it with individuals having a valid mission purpose. Use approved methods of destruction (i.e. shred, burn) for hard copy materials containing critical information. c. Report suspected unauthorized disclosures to your command OPSEC program manager and chain of command. 6. I encourage you to learn more and take advantage of the excellent resources available via the Navy and Marine Corps OPSEC Support Teams, references (e) and (f). 7. Released by The Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy.// BT #0001 NNNN CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED//