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I’d like to take this opportunity to delve into two topics that are important to the day-to-day survival of those of us under Targeted Surveillance. Most (all TIs?) can’t have a meaningful social media or online forum presence because they are lacking in two important areas:

OPSEC and COGSEC.

**Operational Security (OPSEC)** and **Cognitive Security (COGSEC)** are distinct but complementary security disciplines that protect an organization from different types of external threats. In 2026, the integration of these fields is increasingly vital as adversaries combine information gathering with influence operations.

Key Differences at a Glance

Feature

Operations Security (OPSEC)

Cognitive Security (COGSEC)

**Primary Goal**

Deny adversaries information about intentions, capabilities, and activities.

Protect the human "mindset" and decision-making processes from manipulation.

**Focus Area**

**External visibility:** Protecting unclassified indicators that can be "pieced together".

**Internal perception:** Protecting against social engineering, disinformation, and cognitive bias exploitation.

**Common Threats**

Surveillance, data leaks, unintentional disclosures on social media.

Disinformation campaigns, AI-driven manipulation, and emotional triggers.

**Core Process**

The 5-step OPSEC Cycle: Identify, Analyze, Assess, Mitigate.

AI-driven threat detection and fostering individual/organizational resilience.

Detailed Breakdown

* **Operations Security (OPSEC)**

OPSEC is a systematic risk management process originally developed by the military to prevent adversaries from observing friendly actions. The** Mindset:** It requires looking at your own organization through the eyes of an adversary to identify "indicators" (e.g., a sudden increase in supply orders suggesting a new project). **Modern Context:** As of 2026, OPSEC is a mandatory requirement for federal contractors under CMMC 2.0. **Practical Use:**

**Cognitive Security (COGSEC)**

COGSEC focuses on defending the human element of security. It addresses how information—even if it is public—is used to manipulate sensemaking and collective action. The** Mindset:** It focuses on maintaining "Cognitive Superiority" by resisting emotional manipulation and disinformation. Modern** Context:** In 2026, COGSEC increasingly uses AI and machine learning to detect and counteract sophisticated "Cognitive Warfare" (Cog War) attempts. Practical** Use:** Training employees to recognize deepfakes or social engineering attempts that exploit cognitive biases rather than technical vulnerabilities.

Why Both Matter in 2026

While **OPSEC** stops the enemy from *knowing* what you are doing, **COGSEC** stops the enemy from *changing* how you think about what you are doing. A failure in one often leads to a failure in the other: for instance, a leaked piece of data (OPSEC failure) can be used as the basis for a targeted disinformation campaign (COGSEC attack).

These analyses break down cognitive security's role in protecting decision-making from manipulation alongside operational security's objective of safeguarding operational intentions.

Those under Targeted Surveillance have to be cognizant of the fact that it is common protocol for the government to surveil targets using thermal imaging technology. That means that your screen pins on your devices can be stolen easily through the walls of your room, apartment, or house. Most of the government's cyber intrusion capabilities center around having physical access to a target’s devices. If your screen pin is known to them, all it takes is 30 seconds of physical access to a device to download malware (Lover, roommate, friend, coworker, boss, landlord). The government is most likely not using a no-click 0 day to compromise your phone. Also be aware that all of your electronic devices with microphones record audio 24 hrs. a day unless you disable the microphone.

Given that your device isn’t completely compromised, you can disable the microphone through the settings. You can also use a jack made from old, wired headphones to disable the microphone. Just cut the cord to remove the existing microphone on the cord and insert the jack minus microphone on the cord into the device. Good luck to you!

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