COMSEC (Communication Security)
latest updated test with correct answers
COMSEC - answers Component of Information Assurance.
Measured controls to deny unauthorized persons info derived from telecoms and to
ensure authenticity of such telecoms.
Components of COMSEC - answers CRYPTO security (Protection through crypto and
other cryptologic processes)
Emission Security (Control of compromising emanations from telecommunications and
information systems)
Physical security (Physical protection from unauthorized access or exposure)
Transmission security (Provides protection from interception and exploitation)
What type of info needed by enemy to develop measures or tatics to increase their
ability to exploit our vulnerabilities? - answers Mission Critical Info
TEMPEST - answers Primary method of controlling compromising emanations from
COMSEC equipment.
Importance of COMSEC - answers Enables use of secure and authenticated
communications
Denies adversaries access to mission critical info and intelligence
COMSEC could provide enemy: - answers Clear picture of Intentions, Dispositions,
Strengths, Weaknesses
COMSEC hierarcy, sometimes called "Chain of Command" or "Organization Structure" -
answers Relates only to COMSEC
,Tier 0: - answers NSA FT. Meade CF (Central Facility). Provides centralized Key
Management services for all forms of COMSEC key.
Tier 1: - answers Intermediate key generation and distribution center
Tier 2: - answers Layer of CMCS (COMSEC material control system) compromised of
the COMSEC Accounts that manage key and other COMSEC material
Tier 3: - answers End user of COMSEC equipment and material (Local Elements LEs)
Tier Structures and Organizational Roles: - answers Differ slightly since their tier
structure relates to all organizations that handle COMSEC.
ORGANIZATIONAL ROLES: Define what each orginization does within a specific
agency.
National - answers NSA - Tier 0, Devlops/Implements national policy,
Produces/Distributes COMSEC certificates and CRYPTO equiptment
USNDA - COMSEC distribution facility for keying material, manages Reserve on board
(ROB) shipments
Navy - answers DON CIO - Implements national policy w/t DON, Consolidates
COMSEC programming, planning and implementation policy and technical
imporvements
NCMS (Navy Communications Material System) - Administers DON COMSEC program,
Serves as service authority
CMIO - Receives stores and ships ready for issue equipment
Navy COR (Central Office of Record) - answers COR (Central Office of Record) - Tier
1, Physical in San Antonio, Huachuca, NCMS N3 accounting
COR Audit Team - Recieve store and ship ready use equipment, located around globe
ISIC - Admin oversight for subordinate commands
Who ships ready to use COMSEC equipment for Navy? - answers CMIO (Comsec
material issuing office)
HQ Marine Corps (C4 CY) coordinates with CNO and NCMS to: - answers Establish,
promulgate, and oversee COMSEC matters unique to USMC
Commander USCG (C4it) coordinates with CNO to: - answers Establish, promulgate,
and oversee COMSEC matters unique to USCG
,USN COMSEC Positional Roles and Responsibilities: - answers 1) CO - Overall
responsible for proper admin of commands COMSEC and ensuring compliance. Ensure
quarterly spot checks and designate in writing access to COMSEC.
2) COMSEC Manager - Primary person at command responsible for proper handling,
accounting, disposition of all COMSEC. Primary advisor to CO for COMSEC material,
records, reports, and audits
3) Local Element - End user responsible for proper use, accountability and destruction
of material assigned to their control by COMSEC Manager.
LE using (users): Normally workcenters within same organization in which account
resides and receive COMSEC material from their activities
LE issuing: Receive material from parent COMSEC account or another established
account. Issue material on a local custody basis to another user.
USN COMSEC Positional Roles and Responsibilities: - answers Token Security Officer
(TSO) - Responsible for downloading token audit log and validate the Token is
personalized to requesting KOAM (Key Operating Account Manager). Reviews logs and
reports anomalies at least every 90 days to CPA (Client Platform Administrator) (Can
never be TSO for yourself)
Client Platform Security Officer (CPSO) - Individual designated in writing by CO
responsible for security monitoring, including review of audit data associated with MGC
(Role requires Type 1 token and cannot be performed by KOAM or CPA)
Client Platform Administrator (CPA) - Designated in writing by CO responsible for
System Administration functions on the MGC
COMSEC Material: - answers 1) Formats (Categories) -
Material: Tape or Code, is the algorithm used to encrypt or decrypt info
Equipment: Hardware devices. Use algorithm to encrypt/decrypt info
COMSEC Aids: DAM, KAO, callsign, frequency system
2) Purpose -
Transmission: sound waves.
Emission: Static. Denies adversaries ability to detect or gain intel.
Physical Security: Prevents adversaries from examining protected info.
Crypto Security: Protects info by means of COMSEC equipment keying material
, 3) Types -
Traffic Encryption Key (TEK): Protects traffic on a circuit
Key Encryption Key (KEK): Protects TEK for transmissions across circuit during over
the air transfer (OTAT)
Transfer Key Encryption KEY (TrKEK): Key used in a fill device to encrypt or decrypt
key stored in the fill device.
4) States -
Effective: Key that is in the current period of time allowed for use
Reserve on Board (ROB): Key that is reserved for future use
Superseded: Key passed period of time for use
5) Uses -
Paper: Used in pubs, such as changing daily callsigns
Paper Mylar Paper: Used for traditional key, loaded in legacy equipment.
Electronic: Can be traditional or modern and used in all types of encryption devices.
Can be copy of traditional PMP
Short Titles: - answers Series of letters and numbers used to facilitate identification,
handling, accounting, and control of COMSEC material.
(*Up to 24 alphanumeric characters without special characters. )
Order: Release Prefix, Trigraph, Unique Identifier, Generating element, Edition
COMSEC Related Info: - answers 1) Policy, Procedural, Doctrinal Pubs: Pubs in
COMSEC library. EKMS-1, EKMS-3 and EKMS-5
2) Maintenance and Operator Manuals: All cryptographic maintenance manuals
(KAMs), and Cryptographic Operators Manuals (KAOs)
3)Miscellaneous Material: Status of COMSEC Material Report (SCMR), and controlling
authority status messages.
What type of message will a CONAUTH send to promulgate effective and supersession
info? - answers STATUS message
KAO - answers Short title identifier for a Cryptographic Operators Manual
latest updated test with correct answers
COMSEC - answers Component of Information Assurance.
Measured controls to deny unauthorized persons info derived from telecoms and to
ensure authenticity of such telecoms.
Components of COMSEC - answers CRYPTO security (Protection through crypto and
other cryptologic processes)
Emission Security (Control of compromising emanations from telecommunications and
information systems)
Physical security (Physical protection from unauthorized access or exposure)
Transmission security (Provides protection from interception and exploitation)
What type of info needed by enemy to develop measures or tatics to increase their
ability to exploit our vulnerabilities? - answers Mission Critical Info
TEMPEST - answers Primary method of controlling compromising emanations from
COMSEC equipment.
Importance of COMSEC - answers Enables use of secure and authenticated
communications
Denies adversaries access to mission critical info and intelligence
COMSEC could provide enemy: - answers Clear picture of Intentions, Dispositions,
Strengths, Weaknesses
COMSEC hierarcy, sometimes called "Chain of Command" or "Organization Structure" -
answers Relates only to COMSEC
,Tier 0: - answers NSA FT. Meade CF (Central Facility). Provides centralized Key
Management services for all forms of COMSEC key.
Tier 1: - answers Intermediate key generation and distribution center
Tier 2: - answers Layer of CMCS (COMSEC material control system) compromised of
the COMSEC Accounts that manage key and other COMSEC material
Tier 3: - answers End user of COMSEC equipment and material (Local Elements LEs)
Tier Structures and Organizational Roles: - answers Differ slightly since their tier
structure relates to all organizations that handle COMSEC.
ORGANIZATIONAL ROLES: Define what each orginization does within a specific
agency.
National - answers NSA - Tier 0, Devlops/Implements national policy,
Produces/Distributes COMSEC certificates and CRYPTO equiptment
USNDA - COMSEC distribution facility for keying material, manages Reserve on board
(ROB) shipments
Navy - answers DON CIO - Implements national policy w/t DON, Consolidates
COMSEC programming, planning and implementation policy and technical
imporvements
NCMS (Navy Communications Material System) - Administers DON COMSEC program,
Serves as service authority
CMIO - Receives stores and ships ready for issue equipment
Navy COR (Central Office of Record) - answers COR (Central Office of Record) - Tier
1, Physical in San Antonio, Huachuca, NCMS N3 accounting
COR Audit Team - Recieve store and ship ready use equipment, located around globe
ISIC - Admin oversight for subordinate commands
Who ships ready to use COMSEC equipment for Navy? - answers CMIO (Comsec
material issuing office)
HQ Marine Corps (C4 CY) coordinates with CNO and NCMS to: - answers Establish,
promulgate, and oversee COMSEC matters unique to USMC
Commander USCG (C4it) coordinates with CNO to: - answers Establish, promulgate,
and oversee COMSEC matters unique to USCG
,USN COMSEC Positional Roles and Responsibilities: - answers 1) CO - Overall
responsible for proper admin of commands COMSEC and ensuring compliance. Ensure
quarterly spot checks and designate in writing access to COMSEC.
2) COMSEC Manager - Primary person at command responsible for proper handling,
accounting, disposition of all COMSEC. Primary advisor to CO for COMSEC material,
records, reports, and audits
3) Local Element - End user responsible for proper use, accountability and destruction
of material assigned to their control by COMSEC Manager.
LE using (users): Normally workcenters within same organization in which account
resides and receive COMSEC material from their activities
LE issuing: Receive material from parent COMSEC account or another established
account. Issue material on a local custody basis to another user.
USN COMSEC Positional Roles and Responsibilities: - answers Token Security Officer
(TSO) - Responsible for downloading token audit log and validate the Token is
personalized to requesting KOAM (Key Operating Account Manager). Reviews logs and
reports anomalies at least every 90 days to CPA (Client Platform Administrator) (Can
never be TSO for yourself)
Client Platform Security Officer (CPSO) - Individual designated in writing by CO
responsible for security monitoring, including review of audit data associated with MGC
(Role requires Type 1 token and cannot be performed by KOAM or CPA)
Client Platform Administrator (CPA) - Designated in writing by CO responsible for
System Administration functions on the MGC
COMSEC Material: - answers 1) Formats (Categories) -
Material: Tape or Code, is the algorithm used to encrypt or decrypt info
Equipment: Hardware devices. Use algorithm to encrypt/decrypt info
COMSEC Aids: DAM, KAO, callsign, frequency system
2) Purpose -
Transmission: sound waves.
Emission: Static. Denies adversaries ability to detect or gain intel.
Physical Security: Prevents adversaries from examining protected info.
Crypto Security: Protects info by means of COMSEC equipment keying material
, 3) Types -
Traffic Encryption Key (TEK): Protects traffic on a circuit
Key Encryption Key (KEK): Protects TEK for transmissions across circuit during over
the air transfer (OTAT)
Transfer Key Encryption KEY (TrKEK): Key used in a fill device to encrypt or decrypt
key stored in the fill device.
4) States -
Effective: Key that is in the current period of time allowed for use
Reserve on Board (ROB): Key that is reserved for future use
Superseded: Key passed period of time for use
5) Uses -
Paper: Used in pubs, such as changing daily callsigns
Paper Mylar Paper: Used for traditional key, loaded in legacy equipment.
Electronic: Can be traditional or modern and used in all types of encryption devices.
Can be copy of traditional PMP
Short Titles: - answers Series of letters and numbers used to facilitate identification,
handling, accounting, and control of COMSEC material.
(*Up to 24 alphanumeric characters without special characters. )
Order: Release Prefix, Trigraph, Unique Identifier, Generating element, Edition
COMSEC Related Info: - answers 1) Policy, Procedural, Doctrinal Pubs: Pubs in
COMSEC library. EKMS-1, EKMS-3 and EKMS-5
2) Maintenance and Operator Manuals: All cryptographic maintenance manuals
(KAMs), and Cryptographic Operators Manuals (KAOs)
3)Miscellaneous Material: Status of COMSEC Material Report (SCMR), and controlling
authority status messages.
What type of message will a CONAUTH send to promulgate effective and supersession
info? - answers STATUS message
KAO - answers Short title identifier for a Cryptographic Operators Manual
