Operational Security (OPSEC)
A risk management process that identifies critical information and the steps needed to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.
Operational security (OPSEC) is a risk management↗ process, originally developed by the military, that identifies which information could be valuable to an adversary if exposed and then determines what steps are needed to protect it. It looks beyond obvious secrets to consider how seemingly harmless details can be pieced together to reveal something sensitive.
In a business or personal context, OPSEC might mean being careful about what employees post on social media, how much detail appears in a job listing, or what's visible in the background of a video call. Good OPSEC is about thinking like an adversary to find gaps before they do.