What are OPSEC indicators? Give an example.

• A. Confidential information shared with partners.
• B. Routine equipment checks.
• C. Internal process documents.
• D. Observable actions or information that could reveal critical details to an adversary; e.g., unusual travel patterns or movement of assets.

Answer: (D)

In OPSEC, indicators are observable cues that could reveal critical details to an adversary. The right description is that indicators are actions or bits of information you can see or notice that, taken together, could allow someone outside your organization to infer sensitive operational details. An example is unusual travel patterns or movement of assets, which signal that something out of the ordinary might be happening and could reveal intentions or capabilities if observed by the wrong eyes.

Why this fits best: it focuses on signals that someone watching from the outside could exploit. It’s about outward signs, not the sensitive information itself, and not routine activities.

Why the other options don’t fit as indicators: confidential information shared with partners is sensitive data, but it’s not an observable sign someone outside could use to infer operational details firsthand. routine equipment checks are standard maintenance; they don’t by themselves signal a potential operation or vulnerability to an adversary. Internal process documents are internal references and not outward-facing signals that an observer could use to glean what’s happening.