Methods
This site is full of content about Intelligence and Military use of Technology. In writing this, I touch on topics that can be very sensitive. Also, some laws and regulations apply to this type of work. These rules and regulations are very important to national security and I take them very seriously. I think it is important to discuss these unclassified topics in a public forum, so I spend extra time to make sure we can do that.
I have worked with security professionals to define a set of rules I follow in all of my writing and public speaking. I have captured them here so you know them in case there are any questions. Note this is not a legal description. This page is simply a collection of personal rules I follow in plain language, shared for your benefit. If you have questions or concerns please email me. Additionally, this site is my personal work and does not reflect the official views of Janes.
Public Information
I only discuss Defense or Intelligence articles that have been officially reviewed and approved for public release
Any time you read discussion on tradecraft, doctrine or specific techniques, tactics or procedures I ensure that these come from documented sources, reviewed and approved for public release by an authorized agency. Examples include:
Official Published Doctrine
Published Books with official reviews/release material
Speeches or Transcripts of speeches from "On-The-Record" events I attended in person or where I obtained the transcript directly from a reputable source
News Articles published by reputable sources, written on the record
Export Compliance
For technology discussions, I limit the information to COTS technology already approved for export worldwide.
Specifically, this will normally mean GIS or other Software that I know has been reviewed and has an export license.
Second, I am not making any recommendation that is specifically focused on the creation of a defense system.
Personal Knowledge
I never share any information I obtained from my work or personal knowledge working with specific government agencies. If I ever do, I will go through the appropriate review process and share the review information on this site and update this disclaimer.
Never using a source that came from an illegal act/leak. I will never use a source that came from an illegal breach of a sensitive or classified system. I will use examples from open-source reporting, but only when I am confident of the practices and credibility of the source.
Illegal Sources
If there is ever any doubt, I don't write it. This is not just applicable to blogs, this also pertains to emails or responses to comments on my blog. I will not respond to emails I deem sensitive and I will remove comments I deem to be sensitive. The author might disagree with my determination, but I will not discuss my decision in these cases and you will not be notified of my decision. If warranted, I will refer any suspicious behavior or comments to proper authorities.