Below is a list of references and sources that were used in the development of the exam or that will serve as useful resources in studying for the exam. These will be updated as necessary.  As a general rule, the close-out data for changes for the test offered each summer at the NCMS Annual National Training Seminar is December 31 of the prior year.  Thus, the "old" NISPOM, rather than the one published in early 2006, is still the source for the exam.  Exam questions are being rewritten and will be implemented in early 2007.

Examination Core Area:

• National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM)  http://www.dss.mil/isec/nispom.htm

• NISPOM copy (with Chapter 8 annotated with Industrial Security Letter contents up to and including ISL 04-1) http://www.classmgmt.com/ISP_Certification_Program/annotated_NISPOM.pdf

• Industrial Security Letters (especially those from 2000 - 2005) http://www.dss.mil/isec/letters.htm

• Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) Classified National Security Information Implementing Directive #1  http://www.archives.gov/isoo/policy-documents/eo-12958-implementing-directive.html

• Changes to Classified Document Markings, as Modified by ISOO Implementing Directive No. 1, Classified National Security Information, Effective September 22, 2003; Updated October 1, 2003 http://www.archives.gov/isoo/training/marking-booklet.pdf

• Executive Order 12958 as amended by EO 13292, Classified National Security Information,  http://foia.state.gov/eo12958/EO13292.asp  

• Executive Order 12968, Access to Classified Information, http://www.dss.mil/seclib/eo12968.htm

• Defense Security Service (DSS) Website training materials at http://www.dss.mil/. These include the following specific sub-pages on the DSS site:

  • Industrial Security http://www.dss.mil/isec and the sub-pages, including

    • Personnel Clearance FAQs http://www.dss.mil/isec/PCLFAQs.htm and

    • Facility Clearance FAQs http://www.dss.mil/isec/FCLFAQs.htm

    • Smith Amendment http://www.dss.mil/isec/dss_smith_amendment.htm

  • Security Awareness Library http://www.dss.mil/training/securityawareness.htm

  • Personnel Security http://www.dss.mil/seclib/index.htm#personnel%20security%20investigations 

  • Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Information http://www.dss.mil/search-dir/training/csg/security/S3stndrd/Adjudica.htm

  • Adjudicative Desk Reference http://www.dss.mil/nf/adr/

  • Security and Suitability Issues http://www.dss.mil/search-dir/training/csg/security/S5improp/Security.htm

  • Supplemental Information at http://www.dss.mil/nf/adr/supinfo/supinfF.htm

  • Trusted Download Procedures http://www.dss.mil/infoas/trusted_download_072602.doc 

  • Protection of Classified Information -- Relevance to Security http://www.dss.mil/nf/adr/secvio/secvioT.htm

  • Survival Handbook http://www.dss.mil/training/survival.pdf

  • FOUO & Similar Designations http://www.dss.mil/search-dir/training/csg/security/S2unclas/Fouo.htm

• Information Assurance INFOSEC terms glossary at http://staff.washington.edu/dittrich/center/4009.pdf 

• DCID 1/7 Security Controls on the Dissemination of Intelligence Information, dated 6/30/98 http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/dcid1-7.html

• International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) - Note:  Only general export control issues will be covered in the ISP exam, and you need only review/study Part 120 http://www.pmdtc.org/reference.htm

• Multinational Industrial Security Working Group (MISWG) documents for NATO http://www.dss.mil/seclib/index.htm#miswg

• JPAS Gateway Web Site https://jpas.dsis.dod.mil/ including

  • JPAS Desktop Reference Guide (in 16 separate chapters) https://jpas.dsis.dod.mil/desktop-resource.html

• e-QIP Gateway Web Site http://www.opm.gov/e-qip/ including

  • Quick Reference Guide for the Applicant http://www.opm.gov/e-qip/reference.asp

  • Frequently Asked Questions http://www.opm.gov/e-qip/faq.asp

  • Electronic Questionnaire for Investigation Processing (e-QIP) -Instructions using JPAS 2.3.0 by the JPAS Industry Team, http://www.classmgmt.com/about_NCMS/eqip.htm

Elective #1 -- COMSEC/TEMPEST

• NSA/CSS Policy Manual 3-16, Control of Communications Security (COMSEC) Material dated August 2005 (not available on-line)

• COMSEC Awareness Training student materials provided by Derek Herring, COMSEC Engineer, Omitron Inc.

  • COMSEC Awareness Reading Material  http://www.classmgmt.com/ISP_Certification_Program/COMSEC_Material.pdf

  • COMSEC Awareness Training PowerPoint Presentation http://www.classmgmt.com/ISP_Certification_Program/COMSEC_Awareness.ppt

• NISPOM Chapter 11, Section 1, TEMPEST, included in full NISPOM text at http://www.dss.mil/isec/nispom.htm

Elective #2 -- Counterintelligence

• Presidential Decision Directive (PDD)/NSC-12, Security Awareness and Reporting of Foreign Contacts, August 5, 1993 http://www.usaid.gov/policy/ads/500/pdd-nsc-12.pdf

• Defense Security Service (DSS) Website training materials at http://www.dss.mil/. These include the following specific sub-pages on the DSS site:

  • Counterintelligence http://www.dss.mil/cithreats/index.htm

  • What Are We Protecting?  http://www.dss.mil/cithreats/protect.htm

  • Suspicious Indicators and Security Countermeasures for Foreign Collection Activities  Directed Against the U.S. Defense Industry,  http://www.dss.mil/seclib/scm.pdf 

Elective #3 -- Intellectual Property

• Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) http://www.usdoj.gov/04foia/foiastat.htm

• Privacy Act http://www.usdoj.gov/04foia/privstat.htm 

• Economic Espionage Act of 1996 http://www.tscm.com/USC18_90.html 

• U.S. Copyright Office http://www.copyright.gov/

Elective #4 -- OPSEC

• National Security Decision Directive Number 298, National Operations Security Program, January 22, 1988 http://www.ioss.gov/nsdd298.html

• OPSEC Glossary of Terms http://www.ioss.gov/docs/definitions.html

• DoD Directive 5205.2, DOD Operations Security (OPSEC) Program http://www.ioss.gov/docs/5205.2.pdf

• Joint Publication 3-54, Joint Doctrine for Operations Security http://www.ioss.gov/docs/jp3_54.pdf

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Preparing for the ISP Certification Exam

To prepare yourself to take the ISP Certification exam, you may want to consider:

• Reviewing  the  list  of test-taking tips provided by many of the current ISPs.  The  list  now  includes  tips both for candidates who take the exam at the annual NCMS National Training Seminar and those who plan to take it on-line.   http://www.ncms-channelislands.org/testtips.pdf

• Participating  in  the  ISP Exam Preparation Program.  The  program  will  consist  of 11 telephone conferences. Mentors  who  are  already  ISPs will lead candidates through an in-depth study  of  the NISPOM and other reference materials. The program is perfectly timed  for  those planning to take the test during 2006, while the exam is still based on the "old" NISPOM. (Another course will begin in January 2007, timed for folks wanting to test at the Annual National Training Seminar in Reno NV in June 2007 or on-line during the summer of 2007.)  The  cost  will  be $10-15 to pay for printing  and  mailing  the workbook. There is no tuition cost for the course. To  find out more about the program and register, e-mail the Lead Mentor Team – Patricia Robbins, Calvin Stewart and William L.  Uttenweiler, all ISPs – at isp_mentor@hotmail.com.

• Using the ISP Exam Prep Program Workbook.  It is a requirement for the ISP Exam Preparation Program but can also be used for self-study.  A copy of the workbook order form is located at:  http://www.ncms-channelislands.org/WorkbookOrderForm.pdf   (Note: ordering the workbook does not automatically enroll you in the Prep Program.  That must be done with an e-mail as specified above.)

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Free Government Security Courses

These courses are not strictly part of the exam question sources.  However, they do provide training on appropriate security topics and you might want to consider taking them.  They will help freshen up study and test-taking skills for candidates who have been away from school for a while.  You should not consider them a substitute for reading/studying the sources listed above, especially a cover to cover reading of the NISPOM.

Examination Core Area:

• On-line courses from the Defense Security Service Academy (DSSA), Linthicum, MD.  Information for all of these can be found on the DSS web site and you can enroll in them using DSSA's ENROL process at http://www.dss.mil/training/index.htm

  • Essentials of Industrial Security Management (a prerequisite for the FSO Program Manager course)

  • Protecting Secret & Confidential Documents (a prerequisite for the FSO Program Manager course)

  • Marking Classified Information

  • Information System Security Basics

  • NISPOM Chapter 8 Requirements for Industry Online

• JPAS Joint Integrated Training Application (JITA) Training https://jpas.dsis.dod.mil/jita.html

  • Account Management module

  • Security Management module

• The Defense Institute of Security Assistance Management's course, International Programs Security Requirements Course (IPSR-OL) http://www.disam.dsca.mil/pubs/web%20Catalog/IPSR-OL.htm

Elective #4 -- OPSEC

• Interagency OPSEC Support Staff (IOSS) course, OPSE 1301 - OPSEC Fundamentals CBT, which can be ordered by sending an e-mail with your name, job title, address, and facility code to ioss@radium.ncsc.mil

If you have any comments or suggestions for this page, or wish to report a problem or a broken link, please e-mail us at info@classmgmt.com

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