SUMMARY: security clearance

here's what i was looking for...thanks M


         There are some Information Security certifications that are to
Information Security as a CCNA is to Cisco Networking, or MCSE is to being
a Microsoft Systems Administrator. ISSA is a trade association for the
InfoSec industry. The Certifications and ISSA are unrelated to the Secret
and Top Secret security clearances.
         Secret and Top Secret are security clearances given by the Defense
Security Service. Basically, they verify that you don't have any skeletons
in the closet that might make you a target for bribery or extortion to give
away privileged information about your work. Typical things that may
disqualify you are if you are cheating on your wife, or cheating on your
taxes? Are you in the closet about your sexual orientation? They don't care
if you are gay, but they do care if you are in the closet.
         As I understand it, for ''Secret' they give you a very
comprehensive questionnaire that goes back several years into your past,
depending on the information they get from that and a standard background
check, will depend on how much more they do, if anything at all.
         As I understand it, for 'Top Secret', they will get really
involved for a much longer history. They will dig up the dirt. They will
also interview friends, or others close to you (neighbors, teachers, old
land lords, etc.)
         Naturally, you need a clean drug test for both. You need to be a
citizen of the US. You need to be sponsored, and it costs a lot of money to
get the clearance, so you don't get a clearance unless your job requires it.
         I do not have a clearance, nor have I ever had one. But, I just
left a job on a commercial contract at a company that does more than half
of it's business with the US and foreign defense departments, so at least
half of the people around me had clearances.
         for more information check out the DSS's web site at
http://www.dss.mil   I think you will find the FAQ helpful @
http://www.dss.mil/aboutdss/faq.htm


-----Original Message-----
as it would apply to unix related positions...

how does one go about receiving security clearance levels...'secret', 'top
secret', 'issa', etc...???

thanks.