Enlisted Information Warfare Specialist (EIWS) Common Core Practice Test

OPSEC, or Operations Security, is about identifying and safeguarding sensitive information so adversaries can’t exploit it. In military doctrine, OPSEC is embedded in Information Operations, which covers actions to protect, exploit, and influence information and information systems in the battlespace. Public Affairs and the Ombudsman program focus on communication with the public and support to service members and families, not on protecting operational information. Theater intelligence centers on collection and analysis within a specific area, rather than safeguarding information across operations. Because protecting information streams and preventing leaks are central to shaping the information environment and maintaining mission resilience, OPSEC fits best as a core element of Information Operations. A practical way this shows up is following a five-step OPSEC process: identify critical information, analyze threats, analyze vulnerabilities, assess risk, and implement countermeasures, such as avoiding sharing precise schedules or locations and ensuring sensitive data is properly protected.