ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
 
PRIORITY       
 
P 141837Z SEP 01 ZYB MIN PSN 027694J28
 
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N6//
 
TO NAVADMIN
 
UNCLAS //N02000//
NAVADMIN 243/01
 
MSGID/GENADMIN/NAVY CIO//
 
SUBJ/E-MAIL AND OPERATIONAL SECURITY//
 
REF/A/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/082310ZJAN1999//
 
REF/B/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/091820ZMAR2001//
 
REF/C/GENADMIN/CHINFO WASHINGTON DC/301956ZOCT2000/NOTAL//
 
NARR/REF A IS NAVADMIN 009/99 ALERTING NAVY PERSONNEL TO THE
VULNERABILITIES OF INDISCRIMINATE E-MAIL USAGE. REF B IS NAVADMIN
060/01 PROVIDING AMPLIFYING GUIDANCE FOR NIPRNET USAGE.  REF C
DISCUSSED MAINTAINING SECURITY AND CLASSIFICATION DURING THE USS
COLE INVESTIGATION.  REFS A AND B ARE AVAILABLE AT
WWW.BUPERS.NAVY.MIL/NAVADMIN.//
 
RMKS/1. THIS MESSAGE (CIO SERIAL 006-01) REITERATES GUIDANCE
PROVIDED FOR THE USE OF UNCLASSIFIED E-MAIL, WEB PAGE CONTENT, AND
OTHER INTERNET TOOLS WHICH ARE ACCESSED VIA THE NONSECURE INTERNET
PROTOCOL ROUTER NETWORK (NIPRNET) (REFS A AND B GERMANE).
 
2. E-MAIL COMMUNICATIONS AND WEB USAGE WHICH EMANATE FROM OR VIA
GOVERNMENT COMPUTERS, WHETHER BY ORGANIZATION OR INDIVIDUAL, REFLECT
DIRECTLY ON THE PROFESSIONALISM OF THE COMMAND AND THE NAVY.  ALL
HANDS MUST ACT ACCORDINGLY AND ARE CAUTIONED TO REMAIN SENSITIVE TO
THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES OF THE RECENT ATTACKS IN NEW YORK AND
WASHINGTON.  WE MUST AVOID THE INADVERTENT RELEASE OF INFORMATION
THAT IS PROPERLY HANDLED BY OUR CASUALTY ASSISTANCE CALLS OFFICES.
 
3. WHILE NIPRNET/INTERNET E-MAIL AND WEB PAGES USE ARE KEY
COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS FOR TODAY'S NAVY, THEIR CONVENIENCE CANNOT
REPLACE THE NEED FOR OPERATIONAL SECURITY (OPSEC).  IT IS ESSENTIAL
TO UNDERSTAND:
 
A. THESE COMMUNICATIONS DO NOT DISAPPEAR LIKE A VERBAL EXCHANGE;
B. THEY ARE NOT PRIVATE AND CAN EASILY BE FORWARDED AND MODIFIED
BEYOND THE CONTROL OF ANY INDIVIDUAL.  E-MAIL AND OTHER ONLINE
COMMUNICATIONS SUCH AS CHAT ROOMS AND MESSAGE BOARDS CAN EASILY BE
MISINTERPRETED, SPOOFED, OR EXPLOITED;
C. NIPRNET E-MAIL USAGE IS OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATIONS AND
 
SUBJECT TO MONITORING, LONG TERM STORAGE, AND POTENTIAL RELEASE
UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT;
D. MOST IMPORTANTLY, INFORMATION RELAYED VIA NIPRNET MUST ONLY BE
UNCLASSIFIED.
 
4. THE FOLLOWING GUIDANCE FROM REF C PROVIDED DURING THE USS COLE
INVESTIGATION, REMAINS RELEVANT AND SHOULD BE OBSERVED:  INDIVIDUALS
PREPARING FORMAL OR INFORMAL ASSESSMENTS OF DAMAGE AND LOSSES, OR
THOSE GATHERING AND DISSEMINATING IMAGES OF THE SAME, MUST CAREFULLY
CONSIDER AND APPLY APPROPRIATE CLASSIFICATION AND RELEASE
INSTRUCTIONS.  AREAS OF CONCERN INCLUDE SPECIFIC DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS,
SPECIFIC DEGRADATIONS IN CAPABILITIES, OR SPECIFIC PERSONNEL
INFORMATION.
 
5. OPSEC IS A STANDARD AGAINST WHICH ONLINE INFORMATION MUST BE
MEASURED.  INFORMATION REGARDING NAVY OPERATIONS, FACILITIES, OR
PERSONNEL SHOULD ALWAYS BE VIEWED FROM AN OPSEC PERSPECTIVE.  THERE
IS A CLEAR CONNECTION BETWEEN NIPRNET E-MAIL AND FORCE PROTECTION.
DESCRIPTIONS OF EVENTS THAT OCCUR MAY IN THEMSELVES, OR IN
CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER INFORMATION, COMPROMISE OPERATIONAL MISSIONS,
CAPABILITY DATA, OR DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS.  INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM
AN OPEN SOURCE MAY IN FACT BE CLASSIFIED AND CITING OR COMMENTING ON
IT MAY BE VIEWED AS CONFIRMATION OF THE VALIDITY OF THE OPEN SOURCE
DATA.  IF IN DOUBT, CONSULT THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND ERR ON THE SIDE
OF CAUTION.
 
6. COMMANDERS, COMMANDING OFFICERS AND OFFICERS IN CHARGE ARE
REQUESTED TO DISSEMINATE THE CONTENTS OF THIS MESSAGE TO ALL HANDS.
 
7. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.  RELEASED BY VADM R.W. MAYO, USN, NAVY
CIO.//
 
BT