Availability and Integrity
Mac i
Mac i
MAC-2 requires more stringent protection measures than MAC-3, but not as much as MAC-1. This level of protection must be better than industry best practices.
Environmental and human treats
Mission Assurance Category I (MAC I) requires the most stringent protection measures within the Department of Defense's information systems framework. Systems designated as MAC I are critical to national security and must be protected against loss or compromise, with rigorous security controls and continuous monitoring in place. This ensures the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of sensitive information that could have significant consequences if compromised.
The three Mission Assurance Categories that require the most stringent protection measures are Mission Critical, National Security System, and Safety. These categories involve assets or capabilities that, if compromised, would result in severe consequences for national security, safety, or mission success, requiring the highest level of protection.
The three mission assurance categories specified in DoD 8500.01E are inherent mission assurance, enabling mission assurance, and foundational mission assurance. These categories help to ensure the reliability and effectiveness of DoD missions.
The MAC (Mission Assurance Category) system includes categories that reflect the criticality of information to warfighter objectives: MAC I indicates information that is essential for mission success and must be protected at all costs; MAC II pertains to information that is important but has some flexibility in terms of protection; and MAC III covers information that, while still valuable, is less critical and can tolerate more risk. These categories help prioritize resources and protection strategies to ensure that vital operations and missions are not compromised.
Normally, a Senior Information Assurance Officer is responsible for Information Assurance.
According to DOD 8570.01-M, the workforce is categorized into three main areas: Information Assurance Technical (IAT), Information Assurance Manager (IAM), and Information Assurance System Architect/Engineer (IASAE). Each category encompasses specific roles and responsibilities related to information security, with corresponding baseline certification requirements. This framework ensures that personnel possess the necessary skills and qualifications to protect Department of Defense information systems effectively.
Information Assurance is the set of measures intended to protect and defend information and information systems by ensuring their availability, integrity, authentication, confidentiality, and non-repudiation. This measures includes providing for restoration of information systems by incorporating protection, detection, and reaction capabilities.