U.S. Plans ‘Continuous Evaluation’ of New and Existing Security Clearances

When the Pentagon starts handling all federal security clearances this fall, it will usher in a brand-new approach to figuring out who can be trusted with dangerous secrets. Whereas the Office of Personnel Management performed an initial background check on individuals who requested clearances, then reviewed its findings every five or ten years, the Defense Department will move toward a more automated “continuous evaluation,” after the initial check, beginning in October, a DoD official told reporters Thursday. After an applicant passes their initial screening, they’ll be incorporated into a system in which software continuously scours open-source information court proceedings, financial data, and more looking for signs that the person might be turning into a security risk.