NCJ Number
118450
Journal
Security Management Volume: 33 Issue: 6 Dated: (June 1989) Pages: 89-92
Date Published
1989
Length
4 pages
Annotation
In the research-and-development field as practiced by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), operations diversity requires a core security program tailored to the needs of specific contractors.
Abstract
As a research and development specialist on national security, high-technology products, energy, the environment, and health, SAIC handles contracts so diverse that a blanket approach to security could not succeed. The goal of physical security at SAIC is to protect the facility from its primary threats: foreign governments and foreign private enterprises that seek classified and unclassified information pivotal to U.S. technological leadership. The first line of defense is physical security. Security devices used include proximity access control cards, closed-circuit television cameras mounted outside buildings, visitor control, intrusion and environmental alarms, facility earthquake-resistant design, and procedures to preserve the anonymity of key personnel, both inside and outside the building. Information security policy derives from the security department. A computer-based document-control system maintains accountability, tracks documents from origin to termination, and maintains a historical file. The company is in the process of implementing the use of bar codes to track documents and establish a chain of accountability. Controls at copy machines also help track paper flow. The security department conducts security training for employees, with updates for the introduction of new security techniques. The company operates eight or nine different government security programs depending on the nature of contract operations.