UNCLASSIFIED
clear, legal and ethical dismissal procedures for staff who fail a vetting check
but whose occupancy of positions requires a valid security clearance.
6.5
Ongoing Personnel Security Management
Baseline and national security vetting checks only provide assurance about the
individual’s security reliability at a given point in time only. In reality, baseline and
national security vetting occurs before the individual joins a new organisation
and/or changes jobs. Both screening exercises may not expose the vetting
subject’s full susceptibility to personal misbehaviour and/or amenability to
influence. Therefore, ongoing personnel security management aims to achieve
the mandated outcomes below.
PS4 – All organisations must monitor the continued security reliability of
individuals holding a GoU security clearance. As a minimum requirement,
organisations must: (a) maintain a record of security cleared individuals; (b)
ensure that only those with a business need maintain access to protected
computer assets; (c) identify changes in personal circumstances; (d) inform
individuals that failure to advise GoU vetting agencies of any significant
changes in personal circumstances may lead to disciplinary action; (e)
undertake periodic security appraisals; (f) investigate anything that may affect
an individual’s suitability to access critical infrastructure; and, (g) sanction noncompliance.
To achieve the security outcomes mandated above, organisations must:
Maintain up to date personnel security records of security cleared individuals
as well as refused and withdrawn security vetting applications;
Ensure that security clearances undergo regular review and/or when material
facts or changes come to light to ensure that records are updated and reaffirm the individual’s suitability to hold a security clearance at a given level;
Inform national vetting organisations of any security incidents that may affect
the individual’s continued suitability to hold a GoU security clearance;
Submit individuals to pro-active security appraisals, annually and/or when
circumstances dictate, during which the vetting subject shall declare changes
in professional and personal circumstances and any security concerns that
might materially affect their suitability to retain a security clearance at a given
level. Individuals must understand that vetting organisations would regard
any failure to disclose material and security relevant changes to personal
circumstances as unreliability to the detriment of their security clearances;
Line managers and other staff have a duty to work with HR to identify, report
and investigate significant changes to the individual’s behaviour, personal
circumstances and attitudes to risk. Common warning signs include drug and
alcohol abuse, changes in working patterns, lateness etc;
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