The document provides definitions for over 100 security and suitability terms used in clearance processes. It covers terminology related to investigation types, clearance levels and categories, adjudication procedures, and position risk designations. Key terms defined include active clearance, adjudicative guidelines, background investigation, classified information, security clearance, public trust position, and single scope background investigation.

1. ClearanceJobs Security and Suitability
Clearance Golossary
—A— Classified Information — The three levels CRYPTO — Cryptographic. A category of
of classified national security information classified information at the Secret and
Active Clearance — Security clearance
are: Confidential, Secret and Top Secret. Top Secret levels related to cryptographic
status where the individual granted a
There are categories of classified logic, keys and authenticators that require
clearance currently occupies a position for
information, such as SCI, SAP and COMSEC,
, special access controls and briefings.
which the clearance is required.
within these three levels requiring
Current Clearance — Commonly used term
Adjudicative Guidelines — Document special safeguarding and access controls
to describe the status of an individual’s
containing the 13 criteria used by that exceed those normally required for
security clearance where the clearance
federal security clearance adjudicators information at the same classification
has terminated but is eligible for
to determine an applicant’s eligibility level.
reinstatement.
for access to classified national security
CNWDI — Critical Nuclear Weapons Design
information. CUI — Controlled Unclassified Information.
Information. A category of Department
Unclassified information pertinent to the
ANACI — Access National Agency Check of Defense (DoD) Secret and Top Secret
national interest of the United States
with Inquiries. Type of personnel security Restricted Data that reveals the theory
or to the important interests of entities
investigation required for initial-hire of operation or design of the components
outside the Federal Government. Other
federal employees who need a Confidential of a thermonuclear or fission weapon or
unclassified information protected by
or Secret clearance or a DoE “L” Access test device. Special access controls and
law from unauthorized disclosure is also
Authorization. briefings are required for CNWDI.
designated CUI. (See also FOUO and SBU.)
—B— COMSEC — Communications Security.
CVS — Clearance Verification System.
Protective measures taken to deny
BI — Background Investigation. Type of Investigation and clearance database
unauthorized persons information
personnel security investigation conducted system operated by OPM and accessible
derived from telecommunications of the
for High-Risk Public Trust Positions. BI to federal security personnel. CVS
U.S. Government relating to national
is also used as a generic term for any will eventually replace OPM’s older SII
security and to ensure the authenticity
personnel security investigation. database. CVS has linkage to DoD’s JPAS
of such communications. COMSEC is also
database.
—C— a category of classified information that
requires special safeguarding, access
CAF — Central Adjudication Facility. The —D—
restrictions and briefings.
office of a federal agency that adjudicates DCII — Defense Central Index of
all security clearance for that agency. COSMIC Top Secret — Control Of Secret Investigations. Computer database
Within the Department of Defense there Material in an International Command. The that contains listings of criminal and
are 10 CAFs (Army, Navy, Air Force, DISCO, term used for NATO Top Secret information security investigations conducted by DoD
JCS, WHS, DIA, NSA, NGA and NRO). and clearances. investigative agencies. The DCII is no
longer being updated with new clearance
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2. data. Since July 2005, new clearance data security clearance where the clearance —J—
are being entered into the Joint Personnel has terminated and is no longer eligible
JPAS — Joint Personnel Adjudication
Adjudication System (JPAS). for reinstatement because time limits for
System. Web-based system that connects
reinstatement have been exceeded.
DISCO — Defense Industrial Security security personnel with a database used
Clearance Office. Component of DSS that —F— to initiate and manage DoD personnel
processes, adjudicates and grants security security investigations and clearances. It
FOUO — For Official Use Only. Protective
clearances for industrial (contractor) is managed by DoD Central Adjudication
marking used to identify unclassified
personnel under the National Industrial Facilities (CAFs) and is composed of
sensitive government information requiring
Security Program (NISP). two subsystems: Joint Adjudication
special handling and access controls.
Management System (JAMS) and Joint
DOHA — Defense Office of Hearings and Clearance Access Verification System
FRD — Formerly Restricted Data. Classified
Appeals. Component of the Defense Legal (JCAVS).
information which has been removed
Services Agency that issues decisions in
from the Restricted Data category after
security clearance cases for contractor —L—
Department of Energy (DoE) and DoD
personnel doing work for DoD components LAA — Limited Access Authorization.
have jointly determined that it relates
and 20 other Federal Agencies and Permission granted by the Federal
primarily to the military utilization of
Departments. It also conducts personal Government to non-U.S. citizens for access
atomic weapons and can be adequately
appearances for DoD civilian employee to classified national security information
safeguarded as national security
and military personnel security clearance where the non-U.S. citizen possesses
information.
appeals. unique or unusual skill or expertise that
—H— is urgently needed to support a specific
DSS — Defense Security Service. Formerly
HSPD-12 — Homeland Security Presidential government project involving access to
known as the Defense Investigative Service
Directive Number 12. Mandates a specified classified information and a
(DIS). DSS is responsible for administering
standard for secure and reliable forms cleared or clearable U.S. citizen is not
the National Industrial Security Program
of identification for personnel requiring readily available.
(NISP) and providing security education
and training to DoD and other federal physical or logical access to federal
“L” Access Authorization — DoE clearance
personnel and contractors. facilities or computer systems. Sponsorship
that authorizes access up to Secret
plus a favorably adjudicated NACI are
Formerly Restricted Data and Secret
—E— needed to obtain a Personal Identity
National Security Information.
eQIP — Electronic Questionnaires for Verification (PIV) card required by this
Investigations Processing. Web-based directive. LBI — Limited Background Investigation.
versions of OPM Standard Forms 85, Type of personnel security investigation
—I— used for Moderate-Risk or High-Risk Public
85P 85PS and 86 used for initiating
,
federal personnel security investigations. Interim Security Clearance — Temporary Trust positions.
The eQIP version of the SF86 replaced security clearance based on the favorable
completion of minimum investigative LOD — Letter of Denial. Letter issued by
DoD’s Electronic Personnel Security
requirements, pending the completion of a security clearance adjudication facility
Questionnaire (EPSQ).
the full investigative requirements for the informing an applicant of a final decision
Expired Clearance — Commonly used term final clearance determination. to deny the applicant a security clearance
to describe the status of an individual’s and of the applicant’s right to appeal the
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3. decision to the agency’s Personnel Security NACLC — National Agency Check with Local Counterintelligence-Scope or Full-
Appeals Board. Agency Checks and Credit Check. Type Scope (lifestyle and counterintelligence
of personnel security investigation used questions).
LOI — Letter of Intent. Letter that
for Confidential and Secret clearances
accompanies a “Statement of Reasons” PPR — Phased Periodic Reinvestigation.
or for DoE “L” access authorizations.
explaining why a tentative decision to Abbreviated form of the Single Scope
This investigation is not authorized for
deny a security clearance was made and Background Investigation – Periodic
initial-hire federal employees requiring
offering the applicant an opportunity to Reinvestigation (SSBI-PR). The PPR is an
a security clearance or a DoE “L” Access
rebut or mitigate the reasons. optional form of the SSBI-PR reserved for
Authorization.
personnel with no unfavorable information
Loss of Jurisdiction — Status of an
—O— listed in their clearance application.
individual’s security clearance when
employment for the required clearance OHA — Office of Hearings and Appeals. PR — Periodic Reinvestigation.
terminates after a clearance action is Component of the Department of Energy Reinvestigations required at specific
initiated but before a final determination (DoE) responsible for conducting hearings intervals to maintain a security clearance
is made to grant, continue, deny or revoke and issuing decisions involving personnel or a designated public trust position.
the clearance. security clearance cases of DoE employees
and contractors. PRSI — Personal Subject Interview. In
—M— depth interview of the subject of a
OPM/FISD — Office of Personnel personnel security investigation by a
MBI — Minimum Background Investigation.
Management/Federal Investigative Services security investigator. The PRSI is a standard
Type of personnel security investigation
Division. Principal supplier of personnel component of the SSBI, SSBI-PR, PPR, BI,
used for Moderate-Risk Public Trust
security investigations to the Federal MBI, LBI, and PT-SBI.
positions.
Government.
PSI — Personal Security Investigation. Term
—N— —P— that encompasses all types of background
NAC — National Agency Check. Basic investigations used to determine
Period of Coverage — Also known as the
component of all federal personnel employment suitability and security
Period of Investigation. Standard period
security investigations. As a minimum all clearance eligibility.
of time covered by a Personnel Security
NACs include a check of FBI Headquarters
Investigation (PSI). Each type of PSI
records, an FBI technical fingerprint
has an overall period of coverage and
search, and a check of OPM and DoD
specific periods of coverage for individual Public Trust Position — Designated
investigative databases.
components (i.e. employment, police federal employee and contractor positions
NACI — National Agency Check with records, and education) of a PSI. that, due to the sensitive unclassified
Inquiries. Type of personnel security responsibilities of the positions, require
Polygraph — Device that measures and
investigation used for determining federal suitability determinations based on
records physiological responses while a
employment suitability or for the issuance personnel security investigations. Public
subject answers a series of questions. It
of a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Trust positions are designated as either
relies on the belief that false answers
card required by HSPD-12. An NACI plus Moderate-Risk or High-Risk. Public Trust
will produce distinctive measurements.
credit check can be used as the basis for position include positions designated ADP-I,
Polygraph examinations are used as
contractor Moderate-Risk Public Trust ADP-II, ADP-III, IT-1, IT-2, IT-3, IT-5, IT-6,
an adjunct to an SSBI for some Special
positions. 5C and 6C.
Access Programs and can be either
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4. PT-SBI — Public Trust-Special Background level (does not include COMSEC, CRYPTO, Security Clearance — Determination
Investigation. Type of personnel security or CNWDI). SAPs are categorized as made by a government personnel security
investigation conducted for selected High- intelligence, acquisition and operations/ adjudicator that an individual’s access to
Risk Public Trust positions. support. They are also categorized as classified information is clearly consistent
acknowledged, unacknowledged and with the interests of national security.
—Q— waived. Among adjudicators the term “Security
“Q” Access Authorization — DoE Clearance” is being replaced by the term
SBU — Sensitive But Unclassified. Term
clearance that authorizes access up to “Eligibility for Access.”
that is being replaced by “Controlled
Top Secret Restricted Data and Top Secret
Unclassified Information.” (See also CUI SF85 — Standard Form 85. Questionnaire
National Security Information.
and FOUO). for Non-Sensitive Positions. Form used
—R— as the basis for a NACI to determine
Scattered Castles — Consolidated
an individual’s suitability for federal
RD — Restricted Data. Classified personnel security investigation and
employment in non-sensitive positions
information defined by the Atomic Energy clearance database of U.S. Intelligence
or to hold certain non-sensitive federal
Act as concerning: 1) design, manufacture, Community personnel. The database is
contractor positions.
or utilization of atomic weapons; 2) operated and maintained by the Director
production of special nuclear material; or of National Intelligence. SF85P — Standard Form 85P Questionnaire
.
3) use of special nuclear material in the for Public Trust Positions. Form used as
production of energy. RD is considered a SCI — Sensitive Compartmented
the basis for an investigation to determine
special access program. Information. Category of classified
an individual’s suitability to hold a Public
information with many separate
Trust position.
RRU — Request for Research/Recertify/ subcategories or compartments that
Upgrade Eligibility. Direct notification imposes safeguarding and access SF85P-S — Standard Form 85P-S.
to the appropriate CAF through JPAS of restrictions that exceed those normally Supplemental Questionnaire for Selected
any personnel security clearance status required for information at the same Positions. Form used in addition to the
changes a JPAS user cannot make within classification level. SCI is a Special Access SF85P as the basis for an investigation
the system. Program (SAP) involving intelligence to determine an individual’s suitability
sources, methods or analytical processes. to hold selected High-Risk Public Trust
RSI — Reimbursable Suitability/Security
SCI has three sensitivity levels — SSBI positions.
Investigations. Specific investigative
without polygraph, SSBI with CI-Scope
actions to gather information to resolve SF86 — Standard Form 86. Questionnaire
polygraph and SSBI with Full-Scope
issues that surfaced during a standard OPM for National Security Positions. Form
polygraph.
personnel security investigation. used as the basis for an investigation to
Scope of Investigation — Standard determine an individual’s eligibility for a
—S—
components of an investigation, such security clearance or for continuation of
SAP — Special Access Program. Program as character references, employment an existing security clearance.
established for a specific category of records, credit report, police records
classified information that imposes SII — Security/Suitability Investigations
checks, national agency checks and
safeguarding and access requirements Index. OPM’s computer database of
educational records. The term “scope”
that exceed those normally required for investigations accessible to federal
is often misused to describe an
information at the same classification security personnel.
investigation’s “Period of Coverage.”
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5. SOR — Statement of Reason. Document
from a security clearance adjudication
facility advising an applicant of the
specific reason(s) why the adjudication
facility intends to deny or revoke a
security clearance. The SOR also advises
the applicant of his/her right to submit
a written rebuttal and/or mitigating
information regarding the allegations and
in the case of contractors, the additional
right to a hearing before an administrative
judge.
SPIN — Special Interview. Subject
interview to address specific unresolved
issues developed during a standard OPM
personnel security investigation.
SSBI — Single Scope Background
Investigation. Type of personnel security
investigation used for Top Secret
clearances, DoE “Q” access authorizations,
Sensitive Compartmented Information
(SCI) and other designated Special Access
Programs (SAP).
Compiled by William H. Henderson, author of Security
Clearance Manual
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