Safeguards & Security (S&S) Program

Overview

The SC Safeguards and Security (S&S) Program is designed to ensure appropriate security measures are in place to support the SC mission requirement of open scientific research and to protect critical assets within SC laboratories. This is accomplished by providing physical controls that will mitigate possible risks to the laboratories’ employees, nuclear and special materials, classified and sensitive information, and facilities. The SC S&S Program also provides funding for cyber security for the SC laboratories’ information technology systems to protect electronic data while enabling the SC mission.

The S&S Program is organized into seven functional areas: Protective Forces, Security Systems, Information Security, Cyber Security, Personnel Security, Material Control and Accountability, and Program Management. The Program Management element coordinates the management of Protective Forces, Security Systems, Information Security, Personnel Security, Cyber Security, and MC&A to achieve and ensure appropriate levels of protections are in place.

Protective Forces

The Protective Forces element supports security officers, access control officers, and security policy officers assigned to protect S&S interests, along with related equipment and training. Activities within this element include access control and security response operations as well as physical protection of the Department’s critical assets and SC facilities. The Protective Forces mission includes providing effective response to emergency situations, random prohibited article inspections, security alarm monitoring, and performance testing of the protective force response to various event scenarios.

Security Systems

The Security Systems element provides physical protection of Departmental material, equipment, property, and facilities, and includes fences, barriers, lighting, sensors, surveillance devices, entry control devices, access control systems, and power systems operated and used to support the protection of DOE property, classified information, and other interests of national security.

Information Security

The Information Security element provides support to ensure that sensitive and classified information is accurately, appropriately and consistently identified, reviewed, marked, protected, transmitted, stored, and ultimately destroyed. Specific activities within this element include management, planning, training, and oversight for maintaining security containers and combinations, marking documents, and administration of control systems, operations security, special access programs, technical surveillance countermeasures, and classification and declassification determinations.

Cyber Security

The Cyber Security element provides appropriate staffing levels, risk management tools, training, and security controls to protect the sensitive and classified data electronically processed, transmitted, or stored on SC IT systems. This element provides site-specific security as well as enterprise-wide security through CyberOne. Risk management controls ensure IT systems, including the data contained within these systems, maintain confidentiality, integrity, and availability in a manner consistent with the SC mission and federal requirements.

Personnel Security

The Personnel Security element encompasses the processes for employee suitability and security clearance determinations at each site to ensure that individuals are trustworthy and eligible for access to classified information or matter. This element also includes the management of security clearance programs, adjudications, security education and awareness programs for Federal and contractor employees, and processing and hosting approved foreign visitors.

Material Control and Accountability (MC&A)

The MC&A element provides assurance that Departmental materials are properly controlled and accounted for at all times. This element supports administration, including testing performance and assessing the levels of protection, control, and accountability required for the types and quantities of materials at each facility; documenting facility plans for materials control and accountability; assigning authorities and responsibilities for MC&A functions; and establishing programs to detect and report occurrences such as material theft, the loss of control or inability to account for materials, or evidence of malevolent acts.