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Category Archives

Category Name: AGSVA

Show me Evidence of your Insider Threat Program (ITP).

Show me Evidence of your Insider Threat Program (ITP). That is a question an aspiring Defence Industry Security Program (DISP) company will be asked. Then a Big 4 consulting firm will more than likely audit this element on your first or second anniversary. Do you know that your Insider Threat Program will need to have […]


AGSVA Baseline vs PSPF Goldilocks Clearance – the requirements compared. Plus Five Recruitment Trends to Watch.

FIVE Recruitment Trends to Watch: 1. Australian Standards for employment screening (AS 4811-2006) will be updated, after 15 years, to include adjudication. 2. Critical Infrastructure expanded & positive security obligations (personnel vetting) tightened – covering 1.6+m employees. 3. The expanded Critical Infrastructure sector – Defence Industry – must sponsor & manage their own AGSVA security […]


Why Should Businesses Use A Managed Personnel Security Services Provider? MPSSP vs MSSP

You can utilise an MPSSP, like Cleard Plus, to ensure safety and compliance, while enabling your security cleared workforce to focus on more valued projects. You may have heard of a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) with a dedicated Security Operations Centre – SOC. Enter Australia’s first dedicated Managed Personnel Security Service Provider, MPSSP. Think […]


Critical Infrastructure Clearance

The relentless compromising of the private sector, which remains a soft but strategic target, has diluted the conventional boundaries of conflict, forcing the government to enhance its posture. Australia is not immune and there is clear recognition that we need to do more to protect our nation against attacks on our critical infrastructure. The Parliamentary […]


Personnel security is fundamental to good business.

Personnel security is fundamental to good business. Most personnel strive to conduct themselves in an ethical and professional manner. However, it would be negligent to ignore the risk of someone deliberately causing harm or exploiting their positions of trust. The ‘trusted insider’ represents a real and enduring risk to everyday business practices. It is an [...]

At a Glance: What We Do

​Our Background Suitability Interview Questions relate to: Background & Family structure Education & Employment Personal Relationships Allegiance & Loyalty Substance Use Illegal conduct Emotional health Financial Personal conduct ​CV Check Which then is filtered through the lens of Attorney General’s Suitability Standards: Guideline A: External loyalties, influences and associations Guideline B: Personal relationships and conduct […]


DISP Member: Are Your Personnel Security (PERSEC) Measures (AS 4811) Suitable?

Are Your Personnel Security (PERSEC) Measures AS4811 Suitable? 20% to 30% of job applications contain some form of false information according to a recent report of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). Nothing in the report suggests ICAC’s statistics relate solely to NSW or to the public service. Very likely similar issues will be […]


Personnel Security (PERSEC) still remains a challenge for DISP Members

Personnel Security (PERSEC) still remains a challenge for DISP Members. The Defence Industry Security Program normally requires a security clearance at some level to work on defence projects and get access to sensitive information – but not at Entry Level. Recent changes to DISP means that your personnel security measures must include an initial suitability assessment, […]


Adjudicative Guidelines – Secret Knowledge Revealed

The Home Affairs Adjudicative Guidelines are an important element to any suitability assessment. Here are the elements and concrete examples of each factor area and the frequency of detection. ​ 1/7 Factor area: External loyalties, influences and associations. A security risk may exist when the clearance subject or their immediate family, including cohabitants, and other [...]

Critical Infrastructure: Public Submissions React to Trusted Insider Risk Mitigation Options.

                  Trusted insiders are potential, current or former employees or contractors who have legitimate access to information, techniques, technology, assets or premises. Trusted insiders can intentionally or unknowingly assist external parties in conducting activities against the organisation or can commit malicious acts of self-interest. Such action by […]


To get a job you need a clearance. To get a clearance your need a job.

COMMENT FROM THE CATCH 22 ARTICLE: “The ENTIRE contracting community would LOVE a “direct to candidate” shop-front from AGSVA, and an elimination of the need to be already placed in a role that requires a security clearance a given level. We’d all be positively vetted. Make security vetting a personal obligation like a white card, […]


How we can work with IRAP Assessors.

When it comes to personnel and IT, it’s a high-risk environment right now.   9 in 10 data breaches involve trusted insiders – mainly to due to negligence 1 in 5 data breaches are caused by malicious employees 1 in 5 lie on their job resumes 1 in 5 had misrepresented their qualifications 3 in […]


Significant changes in Public Sector Hiring are afoot: Are you ready?

If you recruit for the public sector, then you need to be aware of changes that have just occurred. In short, you cannot just simply recommend the best candidate for job, based on merit, anymore. You now need to consider the Candidate’s ‘suitability’ before they are offered a job. Let that sink in. Recruitment needs […]


What do you mean suitable?

What do you mean suitable? We mean suitable as defined by the Attorney General’s  Protective Security Policy Framework PSPF12 and PSPF13 and the related Adjudicate Guidelines & associated vetting protocols which includes the whole-of-person concept. Put simply, we look at minimum integrity requirements such as criminal/illegal activity involvement, workplace conduct and any criminal associations. Let’s […]


When Academic Admission Discretion Meets National Security.

  ​When Academic Admission Discretion Meets National Security. If you are part of a school that delivers highly specialised courses, which maybe technically UNCLASSIFIED, then know it maybe true that sensitive topics that involve Defence-related topics are crucial and central to the course outcomes and objectives. For example, the Certificate IV in Government (Personnel Security) […]