Communications Security (COMSEC) is used to prevent unauthorized access to telecommunications while still allowing its users access and falls under Information Security (INFOSEC).
The goal of COMSEC is to maintain the confidentiality, integrity and availability of DoD classified and unclassified information that has not been approved for public release during transmission.
COMSEC protects traffic on military communications networks, including voice, video, and data and is used for both analog and digital applications, and both wired and wireless links. COMSEC includes:
- Cryptosecurity
- Transmission Security (TRANSEC)
- Emission security
- Physical security of COMSEC material
It’s easiest to think of COMSEC as a discipline consisting of specialized technical, operational, physical and personnel safeguards that are applied to telecommunications and other automated electronic information handling systems.
In other words, COMSEC is the term identifying the safeguards used to protect information of intelligence value that can be derived from the possession and study of telecommunications, or even to mislead unauthorized persons in the interpretations of this realm.
Experts in this area believe that COMSEC material is especially sensitive because it is not an end in itself but rather is used to protect other sensitive information from unauthorized access.
Individual COMSEC equipment, keying material and specific COMSEC techniques may be used to protect large quantities of sensitive COMSEC over a number of years.
Want to learn more? Tonex offers COMSEC Fundamentals, a 5-day course that focuses on structured analysis to establish a solid foundation for any communications security skillset and to amplify existing skills.
The course helps practitioners from across the communications security spectrum. Communication professionals, security analysts, individuals who manages the Communications Security (COMSEC) resources of any organization or key custodian for a Crypto Key Management System (CKMS), will benefit from this course.
For more information, questions, comments, contact us.