Showing results for: network
CI vs. Full-Scope Polygraph: Which Programs Require Which, and What Each One Asks
The Defense Department retired the phrase "full scope polygraph" in writing. Its polygraph instruction defines the exam readers mean, then adds five words in the glossary: "Previously known as full-scope polygraph." The government-wide directive did the same. Energy's rulebook ne… more
What a Cleared Hire Really Costs: Time-to-Fill, Agency Fees, and the Job-Board Math
In the third quarter of FY2025, a Top Secret background investigation took an average of 163 days. Three quarters later it took 57. That figure comes from the Security, Suitability, and Credentialing Performance Accountability Council's Trusted Workforce 2.0 report for FY2026 Q2.… more
IAT Level II: The Exact Certifications That Qualify, and Which One to Take First
The chart that tells a cleared job seeker which certifications satisfy IAT Level II has not been publicly readable since March 9, 2023. That is the last archived rendering of the DoD Cyber Exchange page that returned the table instead of a login redirect. Snapshots from August 11… more
8140 Certification Requirements on a Cleared IT Contract: What the Employer Must Verify
Open the DFARS Part 239 that Defense contracting officers have been directed to use since 1 February 2026 and look for the information assurance certification rules. One line sits where they used to be: Subpart 239.71-239.73 [Reserved]. The words "8570," "8140," "information assu… more
Continuous Vetting vs. Continuous Evaluation: What Changed, and What It Now Checks
On October 1, 2021, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency reported it had enrolled every Department of Defense security clearance holder in a program called Continuous Vetting. The same milestone retired the practice of reinvestigating those holders every five to te… more