Defence

Intelligence and Security

E-Pack—security online

In April 2004, DSA introduced E-Pack—an online security clearance assessment system for use on the Defence Restricted Network (DRN). Tim Scully explains how E-Pack makes applying for security assessment much easier and quicker.

The Defence Security Authority (DSA) oversees personnel, information and physical security for Defence and defence industry. One of DSA's most important roles is to conduct security clearance assessments for Defence military and civilian personnel as well as contractors.

Many of you will recall the tedious task of filling out a security clearance form by hand and sending it to DSA for assessment, along with a swag of supporting personal documentation. This process was cumbersome and very time-consuming, and affected operational capability when security clearances were delayed.

E-Pack is web-based (currently on the Intranet) and helps streamline security assessments. These assessments include:

• initial and upgrade clearances for Confidential, Secret and Top Secret (both positive and negative vetting); and
• re-evaluation for Secret (every nine years) and Top Secret (every five years) clearances.

Advantages of E-Pack

E-Pack is beneficial for both you and DSA. By using E-Pack, you can now directly access your electronic security clearance vetting profile when you are seeking a clearance upgrade or re-evaluation. All previous information you submitted for your initial, upgraded or re-evaluated clearance assessment will be there for you online. The only time you'll need a pen is when you sign the completed pack. And you won't have to repeat personal information (such as name, place of birth and address) in different parts of the pack; once you have entered such information, E-Pack will automatically use it as needed throughout the pack.

E-Pack also means that DSA people no longer need to do manual, time-consuming and labour-intensive data input. Once an E-Pack is received and uploaded by DSA staff into the Personnel Security Assessment Management System (known as PSAMS), your security profile is immediately updated, providing the DSA security analyst with the right information in the right format. When you use E-Pack instead of a handwritten security pack, DSA is able to reduce the time taken to assess your application and grant your security clearance.

But wait, there's more! The people at DSA know you're very busy. So E-Pack reminds you and your Unit Security Officer, via automatically generated emails, of the need to complete the process within given deadlines. The efficient completion of security clearance assessment applications is critical in allowing Defence people to get on with their jobs. So these electronic messages will regularly remind you to submit your pack as quickly as you can. If you still don't respond, DSA will probably ask your boss to remind you!

E-Pack also helps you to ensure that mandatory information requirements in the security forms are not missed. You will not be able to finalise the pack until you complete all mandatory information fields. In the past, when handwriting the pack, you might have forgotten to supply such information, thus delaying the clearance process because DSA would have had to spend more time trying to contact you to get the missing details. Such delays do not occur when using E-Pack because you have to enter mandatory information at the outset.

E-Pack is user-friendly and intuitively assists you to complete specific areas of the forms through user support screens throughout the package and a 'Help' function. The user support screens guide the applicant through the forms, thereby reducing the need for you to contact DSA security advisers. The 'Help' screen will provide you with a telephone number to contact your local state or territory DSA office should you need personal assistance. As with all electronic systems, we would be happy to hear your suggestions on how we can improve E-Pack.

Is the information you provide secure?

There is a large amount of personal information in security clearance forms. To protect this information E-Pack ensures that you apply a two-part password to protect your personal details. You can also take comfort in the knowledge that the security measures applied to E-Pack comply with the standards set by the Australian Government's information security authority, the Defence Signals Directorate.

Challenges

If you have access to the Defence Restricted Network, DSA will expect you to use E-Pack to complete your security documentation online. There will be circumstances where Defence people cannot submit their forms online using E-Pack. In such cases, with prior agreement, DSA will accept security clearance packs in hard-copy format.

There is an inherent delay in completing security assessments because we have to get it right, and the higher the level of the clearance the longer the delay. You are entrusted with protecting Australia's national security, so DSA will continue to ensure that your security assessments are rigorous. E-Pack will help us do this efficiently and effectively.

The future

The next stage of E-Pack—providing access to E-Pack on the Internet—is being developed as a priority. When E-Pack is available on the Internet, DSA will be able to dispense with the paper-based security assessment process. This will help both DSA and Defence people to get on with their jobs with minimal delay.

If you have any inquiries about E-Pack, please contact Rae Leechman, Assistant Director National Operations on (02) 6266 4008.

Secure capability, secure operations, secure Defence: It's everybody's business!

Tim Scully is Head Defence Security Authority.

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