A new Intelligence Insights paper, Safeguarding National Security by Strengthening Identity Verification Procedures, has been released and examines the risks posed by gaps in identity verification for non-cleared personnel who may have access to sensitive information, systems, networks, financial data, source code, or proprietary data.
While cleared professionals undergo rigorous federal vetting, many non-cleared employees in IT, finance, administration, contracting, and other support roles may not be subject to comparable high-assurance identity proofing, even when their access could create serious operational risk. The paper, developed by INSA’s Insider Threat Subcommittee, warns that this security asymmetry can be exploited by adversaries using synthetic identities, fraudulent credentials, AI-manipulated images or video to exploit weaknesses in hiring and onboarding processes.
“Protecting national security requires us to address identity verification gaps across high-impact support roles,” said INSA President Suzanne Wilson Heckenberg. “Non-cleared personnel with access to sensitive networks, financial information, source code, or proprietary data can present serious risk if their identities are not properly verified. This paper offers a practical, risk-based path to strengthen identity assurance before adversaries exploit these gaps.”
The paper recommends establishing a Joint Identity Management & Security Working Group, led by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, to develop a risk-based methodology for identifying high-impact non-cleared roles and applying identity verification procedures commensurate with their access. The group would also create a modular, scalable framework to help organizations of all sizes strengthen identity verification while accounting for cost, risk, and operational realities.
Read the full paper here.
