Security Clearance Overview

What is a Security Clearance?

Any U.S. citizen or company who has access to classified government information must have security clearance. You may hear the term “eligibility for access” pop up in conversation. This is the same as a security clearance.

There are two types of government security clearances:

 

1. Personnel Security Clearances (PCLs)
2. Facility Security Clearances (FCLS)

Naturalized citizens are eligible for security clearance; foreign nationals are not. In lieu of a security clearance, non-U.S. citizens may be granted a Limited Access Authorization (LAA).

 

Who Issues Security Clearances?

Security clearances are issued by a variety of U.S. government agencies that deal with classified information. These include Executive Branch departments such as the:

 

• Department of Defense (DoD), including the DIA, NGA and NSA
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
• Department of Justice (DoJ), including the FBI
• Department of State (DoS)

Not to mention the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, Interior, Transportation, Treasury and Veterans Affairs.

Independent agencies – including the CIA, EPA, FCC and USITC – also have the authority to issue clearances.

NOTE: Thanks to the nature of its tasks, the DoD issues more than 80% of all security clearances.

 

Will I Need a Security Clearance?

Jobs involving the U.S. government or military will require a security clearance. In particular, clearances are usually required for cyber security experts employed by a:

 

• Government agency
• Government contractor
• Organization that works with government contractors

Common careers requiring security clearance include:

 

• FBI Cyber Careers
• NSA Cyber Careers
• CIA Cyber Careers
• DHS Cyber Careers

If you work with sensitive information in areas other than the government or military, security clearance will not be needed. However, at the very least, many cyber security jobs will involve a background check.

 

Types of Security Clearances

The government has divided security clearances into three levels of access:

 

Confidential

Confidential is the basic level of clearance (many military personnel have it). It means you will have access to material that could cause measurable damage to national security if it were disclosed.

 

• Confidential clearances require a thorough background check, including verification of your criminal, education and employment records. Immediate relatives and spouses/partners will be screened. Fingerprint and credit checks are common.
• Confidential clearances are reinvestigated every 15 years.

 

Secret

Secret is one step up from Confidential. You will be dealing with material that could cause grave damage to national security if it were disclosed.

 

• The background check covers the same bases as a Confidential clearance.
• Secret clearances are reinvestigated every 10 years.

 

Top Secret

Top Secret is the highest clearance issued. It means you will have access to information that could cause disastrous damage to national security if it were disclosed.

 

• The background check is supplemented by a field check, a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) and possibly a polygraph test. Your foreign travel and assets with be scrutinized. Your employers, co-workers, neighbors and other references will be interviewed.
• Top Secret clearances are reinvestigated every 5 years.

What’s more, if you’re working on highly sensitive programs, a.k.a. Special Access Programs, you’re going to need additional clearances. For example:

 

1. Top Secret – Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI)
2. Top Secret – Special Access Programs (SAP)

NOTE: The Department of Energy issues something called “L” and “Q” Access Authorizations. “L” is similar to a Secret clearance; “Q” is similar to a Top Secret clearance.

 

How to Get a Security Clearance

First off, you cannot start the process. Once you are in a job that requires a security clearance (even if you are simply a hired consultant), a cleared contractor or a government agency will sponsor you.

But let’s say you are applying for a position dealing with classified information. How does the process work then?

 

1. You meet the job qualifications and your potential employer wants to hire you
2. You are issued a conditional offer of employment
3. If there is no Background Investigation (BI) on file for you, you will be required to submit clearance documentation (e.g. SF86) to the hiring agency
4. If you pass the hiring agency’s suitability test, the hiring agency will request a thorough BI/background check
5. If you pass your BI/background check, you will be hired