Stueyb

Hi peeps,

Just a quickie (question that is you pervs ) I may have a job that requires security clearance (they are paying) How much of an asset is it to be security cleared and does the Official secrets act really alter much of your day to day stuff. How do you know what you can and cant talk about ?

If you have ever seen one of these forms one of the questions is Are you or have you ever been a member of any terrorist organisation - lol, like which muppet is gonna say yes ? This was an old form BTW so may have changed some since then.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I could tell you, But i'd have to kill you

Nick VR4

Do you mean Security or Secrecy act?

There are different levels I think ?

hail-hail

I worked in the defense industry for a year, and had to sign the official secrets act.
When I left they couldn't find the paper work and it turned out that I hadn't actually signed it in the first place
There's me browsing top secrect James Bond Stylee documents and nobody can stop me blabbing about it......
.....so whadda ya want to know...

ajm

Up until recently I was an IT Manager for a division of a large defence company. Basically if information is classified in any way your company is should tell you. i.e. information that is marked as such, documents, emails, meetings etc. you must keep to yourself. However, if they don't tell you and you blab then you are still liable.

If something is simply commercially sensitive i,e, "In Strict Confidence" then it doesn't come under the Official Secrets Act. If it is matked UK Resticted, Secret or Top Secret then it does.

I used to have no end of trouble arguing with the company security people about how to "apply" the MOD security rules to our IT. Their idea of a secure network was a useless network i.e. to cut all the lines and blow up all the computers!

If you are in any doubt ask your employer!!

Oh and to answer your question, in real terms it isn't "worth" much other than time before you can get access to such information. It used to take 6 weeks to get the home office to clear people, so obviously companies prefer someone who has already been cleared.

[Edited by ajm - 4/23/2003 4:09:25 PM]

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

sounds like DERA or is it Qinetic these days?

richs2891

Stueby
I work for a company in Manchester that requires me to be security cleared. In a day to day situation it means very little, quite a few goverment agencies require that you are security cleared. From what I remember its fairy easy to get Sc'd. Not had to sign the official secrets yet. Most firms will encorage you not to talk to other especially competitors and the press etc.
LOL at AJM know you mean in regards to applying MOD approved security / ITSEC builds to a network, and having no connections to the outside world at all

Richard

ajm

Yeah, when designing any networks classifed "secret" we had to start with a basis of 1 server in a safe with no connections anywhere. It was then up to me to justify anything extra (such as networked clients) on a a usefullness vs. security basis.

I don't know whether this is still the case, but any decomissioned internal storage hardware used on a secret network had to be sent of to a contractor at vast expense to be ground into powder!

beaurocracy gone mad!

[Edited by ajm - 4/23/2003 5:10:06 PM]

moomin

I'm cleared, signed official secrets act etc. In my experience it created more work for me because there were many things that I just couldn’t pass on because of the security . Shame because I'm good at delegating

Unless you plan to stay working within the environment it serves no real purpose to have. However it can't be a bad thing to have on your CV though. If the government trusts you to be in sensitive locations then a future employer may well trust you with the keys to the stationary cupboard/biscuit barrel etc

On the plus side you don’t get held up at customs when you explain you are contracted to the MoD, I’ve seen parts of the world I may have never gone to otherwise. Also I have seen some very interesting things