What Do Our Cars Say About Us?

There are a number of car license plates that may 'spell out' job functions, job
locations, or job-specific programs. This is one indicator that our adversaries may find
useful in determining potential targets.
The list of indicators goes on - post decals (no getting away from that) with rank
(optional for retired persons); service-oriented stickers that indicate job function/location/
level of expertise; university/college stickers and parking decals; residential parking decals
or cards that hang on the rear-view mirror; bumper stickers indicating which collage/
university the vehicle owner (or children) attend; bumper stickers indicating hobby
preferences, political inclinations, likes and dislikes, where our elementary, junior high,
high school children attend school; stickers that indicate the number and gender of
children in the family. And more.
A combination of these indicators may be enough to get the attention of our
adversaries so that they want to take a closer look at the outside of our cars as well as
what's inside our cars: cell phones, work-related documents, personal mail with home
addresses, work/access badges, prescription medication (s) and...trash. Trash that could
provide even more information about us or perhaps indicate weaknesses that could be used
against us.
What could our adversaries learn about us by 'reading' our cars and looking
inside of them?
- Where we work / what agency / which program / our specific job / level of clearance
- Where we (or our children) attend college
- Where we live
- Where our elementary, junior high, high school children attend school
- How many children we have in our family, in order of gender and age
- Where we (and our children) like to spend our 'off duty' time
- Where we stand on 'controversial' political issues
- Potential 'weaknesses' that could be exploited
Now consider — what could our adversaries do if provided the opportunity to
get inside our cars? Gather even more information about us certainly - "What's in YOUR
glove compartment?" Clone our cell phones to get our call lists, pictures and text
messages. Upload malware programs to our cell phones that can be remotely accessed
allowing them to potentially listen to our conversations or track our movements via GPS.
Steal (or copy) our access badges or official identification that may be used by them to
gain access to government facilities and locations. And more.
Let's make it more difficult for our adversaries to gather information about us and
what we do by 'reading' our cars. Let's keep our cars locked and windows rolled up. Let's
take our cell phones, badges and work-related material with us when we leave our cars
unattended. Let's remove from view or lock up items that contain our personal
information. Let's take out the trash. Let's make it more difficult for our adversaries to
gather information about us and what we do by 'reading' our cars.

OPSEC: Only The Winner Is Left Standing.

Courtesy of: MyArmyOneSource