LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
The Air Force uses telephones, cell phones, radios, fax machines, pagers, computer networks and other wired and wireless electronic devices every day to conduct official business.
And every day, these telecommunication systems are unsecured and vulnerable to monitoring by adversaries of the United States. Monitoring that could provide information on military capabilities, limitations, intentions and activities.
To prevent access to sensitive information, the Air Force monitors unsecured and unprotected telecommunications systems using the Telecommunications Monitoring and Assessment Program, which provides consumers with products that define, investigate and offer specific procedures for correction of problem areas, according to Air Force Instruction 33-219.
Examples of TMAP can be found throughout Langley - the pop-up banners on computer screens and the red stickers on telephones and fax machines - and are used to remind people that information may be monitored. By monitoring information on unclassified systems, security managers can help prevent classified information from being intercepted by adversaries.
To maintain a successful TMAP, the 1st Fighter Wing Information Assurance Office will inspect each unit's program to make sure units are compliant with AFI 33-219 by adhering to the following guidelines:
All units must affix a Department of Defense Form 2056, Telephone Monitoring Notification Decal, on the front of the following:
Official telephones
For telephones with secure voice capability that can be used in the unsecure mode, such as Secure Telephone Unit, Secure Terminal Equipment, etc., remove the words "DO NOT DISCUSS CLASSIFIED INFORMATION" from the form.
An Air Force Form 440, Bomb Threat Aid, should also be placed next to all telephones.
Fax machines
When a cover sheet is required for fax transmission, use Air Force Form 3535, Facsimile Electro Mail Transmittal, which has a notice and consent statement printed on it. If any other cover sheet is used, the following notice and consent statement must be printed: "Do not transmit classified information over unsecured telecommunications systems. Official DoD telecommunications systems are subject to monitoring. Using DoD telecommunications systems constitutes consent to monitoring."
Hand-held radios, land-mobile radios and personal digital assistants
If it's not possible to affix a sticker, people must sign a form that includes consent notification. This form can be obtained through unit managers
Cell phones
Sign a form that includes consent notification
All Langley computer systems should have the banner pop up at the login. Systems that don't have a pop-up banner should have a notification posted to the monitor. Taking these steps to inform people about telecommunications monitoring can help protect classified information because you never know who's listening.