What is the definition of OPSEC?

• A. protection of secrets within a closed unit
• B. process of denying information about friendly capabilities and intentions to the enemy
• C. operational planning of security measures during combat
• D. a private security protocol for data encryption

Answer: (B)

OPSEC focuses on identifying information that, if known by an adversary, could reveal friendly capabilities or intentions, and then taking actions to deny that information. The correct statement captures this protective aim: it’s about preventing the enemy from learning what you can do or plan to do. In practice, OPSEC looks at what needs to be kept secret across planning, execution, and communication, and implements countermeasures to minimize any leak of sensitive details.

Context helps: think about what kinds of details might unintentionally reveal strength or timing—like mission schedules, resource levels, or maintenance status—and how those details could be exposed through everyday chatter, public channels, or routine operations. The other options miss the core focus: merely protecting secrets inside a closed unit isn’t enough, OPSEC is about denying information to outsiders; broad, generic security planning during combat goes beyond OPSEC’s specific information-denial aim; and data encryption is just one technical safeguard, not the full practice of OPSEC.