An Army of Dragons: Adapting Operations Security in an Increasingly Digital Age

Abstract

Current operations security (OPSEC) policy is not adapting quickly enough to keep pace with technology as the latter continues to develop and present greater security risk. This thesis attempts to model OPSEC practices and vulnerabilities in a new Department of Defense facility and suggest a way in which technology can be used as an asset. We design an automated surveillance system that tracks WiFi activity in an area and attempts to locate devices based on wireless requests in the space, a discrete way of maintaining employee accountability and monitoring suspicious activity. While the system framework is functional, we discover it is not as effective in locations with significant sources of wireless interference due to dropped signals. Potential fixes to these issues are tested and recommendations are made for further research.