downloading music and security clearance

Could you be denied a security clearance if you have ever downloaded pirated software or music?? I will have to pass a security clearance for a new job and I was wondering how that works. Anyone with a clearance know?

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Tyrant1919

Just don't lie...

LarryDaMan

They will not ask you about song downloading. If you do decide to volunteer that information, be sure to tell them that you will never ever do it again, and you will probably still get your clearance. Of course, all of this depends on what government agency it is and what their specific guidelines are.

I personally would not volunteer that type of information unless you have been charged with or convicted of a related crime. Just be honest on all of the questions that they do ask. You would be suprised how forgiving they can be about past transgressions, but if you get caught in a lie you're toast!

Here are the questions you will be asked:

http://www.opm.gov/Forms/pdf_fill/sf86.pdf

the_Grinch

Depends on the agency. Most do not ask, but I do know of one for sure that will ask you if you ever downloaded music or software, how much/how often, and ask a dollar amount.

LarryDaMan

the_Grinch wrote: »

Depends on the agency. Most do not ask, but I do know of one for sure that will ask you if you ever downloaded music or software, how much/how often, and ask a dollar amount.

Yep, everything depends on the specific agency. Although, the only time I have been asked really crazy questions is on a polygraph. A lifestyle poly is not for the faint of heart.

bhs00

it will be for a secret clearance. Missile Defense

empc4000xl

LarryDaMan wrote: »

Yep, everything depends on the specific agency. Although, the only time I have been asked really crazy questions is on a polygraph. A lifestyle poly is not for the faint of heart.

Yes this is what I was going to bring up. The only time you will be subjected is the lifesytle poly. I remember one job before I got out was asking was I willing to take one. At the time I wasn't but I wished I didn't turn down the oppertunity.

the_Grinch

Polygraphs aren't as bad as people think. I believe that it is the nerves that really gets people. But yup lifestyle polygraphs can be scary...

dynamik

LarryDaMan wrote: »

They will not ask you about song downloading. If you do decide to volunteer that information, be sure to tell them that you will never ever do it again, and you will probably still get your clearance. Of course, all of this depends on what government agency it is and what their specific guidelines are.

However, the RIAA has already found your address, and you will probably have broken legs by morning...

bellhead

Never lie, if you downloaded music say yes. Being ambigious never hurt anybody. They are not asking whether you downloaded legally or illegally. Some of the biggest alt.2600 pirates I knew where guys I worked with in the military.

If you lie during your poly and they know you did kiss your clearance goodbye. I have had a couple and they suck that's all I can say.

bhs00

I accepted. Everyone wish me luck.

whatthehell

Best of luck!

the_Grinch

Good luck! What type of clearance? Secret? Secrets aren't bad to go through at all!

bhs00

yes its a secret clearance. Do they interview or is it just paperwork?

the_Grinch

You'll be interviewed. They'll come to your home (sometimes your office) and go over all of your paperwork and ask to see your ID documents (birth cert or passport). Then line by line they will go over everything and note any changes (shouldn't be changes). I know for a TS they will ask about monthly bills vs what you make, might not do that for the secret. Then it is off to talk to everyone they can find about you. Bosses, references, old neighbors, credit checks, plus local police agency check. Usually, they will bring the credit check with them to make sure that it's you. Mine asked me to verify that a couple of things on there were mine. Should take about 6 to 8 months, maybe faster. Are they going to let you to work with an interim until you get the full clearance?

Mrock4

the_Grinch wrote: »

You'll be interviewed. They'll come to your home (sometimes your office) and go over all of your paperwork and ask to see your ID documents (birth cert or passport). Then line by line they will go over everything and note any changes (shouldn't be changes). I know for a TS they will ask about monthly bills vs what you make, might not do that for the secret. Then it is off to talk to everyone they can find about you. Bosses, references, old neighbors, credit checks, plus local police agency check. Usually, they will bring the credit check with them to make sure that it's you. Mine asked me to verify that a couple of things on there were mine. Should take about 6 to 8 months, maybe faster. Are they going to let you to work with an interim until you get the full clearance?

This depends on the clearance. The military will not go to your home for a secret or generally even go over your paperwork more then once. For TS they did check everybody.

For a secret I don't suspect them caring about you having downloaded music before. They're generally pretty lax with them. I've been through an extensive interview process including a trip to D.C., and have yet to be asked about downloading music. That being said, there was an open source article online detailing the NSA interview process, and they did care about downloading music.

ElvisG

What Mrock4 said. I have a secret and my wife has a TS/SCI. You will not be interviewed for a secret unless they changed it recently.

*edit
I forgot to add that you will not be asked about your downloading of software or music. Goat dirty movies (can't say the real word), on the other hand, is a different story.

Slowhand

I'm guessing no company, requiring security clearance or not, cares what you do at home on your own internet connection. If you're dumb enough to download illegal software or music at work. . . that's a whole different story. If you'd ever been laid off, fired, or even just written up for software/music piracy at a workplace, you might have trouble landing a job that required security clearance. . . or any job, for that matter.

networker050184

the_Grinch wrote: »

You'll be interviewed. They'll come to your home (sometimes your office) and go over all of your paperwork and ask to see your ID documents (birth cert or passport). Then line by line they will go over everything and note any changes (shouldn't be changes). I know for a TS they will ask about monthly bills vs what you make, might not do that for the secret. Then it is off to talk to everyone they can find about you. Bosses, references, old neighbors, credit checks, plus local police agency check. Usually, they will bring the credit check with them to make sure that it's you. Mine asked me to verify that a couple of things on there were mine. Should take about 6 to 8 months, maybe faster. Are they going to let you to work with an interim until you get the full clearance?

I have a secret clearance and also know a lot of people with them (military and civillian) and I have never heard of anyone going through a crazy process like this for a secret. Like Mrock and ElvisG stated, unless this is something super new you shouldn't have to be interviewed or be worried about downloading music.

the_Grinch

For my Secret clearance with ICE there was an at home interview where they go over the paperwork. Every agency is different and I believe that is why the government is forcing everyone to form to a standard...

bellhead

ElvisG wrote: »

What Mrock4 said. I have a secret and my wife has a TS/SCI. You will not be interviewed for a secret unless they changed it recently.

*edit
I forgot to add that you will not be asked about your downloading of software or music. Goat dirty movies (can't say the real word), on the other hand, is a different story.

They would have never asked about the Goat dirty movies when I was in the Navy. Nobody would have had a clearance. When they call port of calls "Adult Disney Land" you get my drift.

JDMurray

The gist of a security clearance is: Background investigations for national security positions are conducted to gather information to show whether you are reliable, trustworthy, of good conduct and character, and loyal to the U.S.

Here are some docs that explain what is asked for and why (at least for a DoD or NATO clearance):

http://www.opm.gov/Forms/pdf_fill/sf86.pdf

http://newsletters.mcmanis-monsalve.com/assets/dpsacnews_apr9/instructionscompleting-sf86-nationalsecurity-4-6-09color(17)blocksonly.pdf

Personal Conduct - Falsification

ORNISS - National Registry Office for Classified Information

803badmutha

Sorry to revive an OLD thread, but had to bump with this, straight from the SF-86:

27.3: In the past seven (7) years, have you introduced, removed, or used hardware, software, or media in connection with any information technology system without authorization, when specifically prohibited by rules, procedures, guidelines, or regulations or attempted any of the above?

Seems like yanking a torrent file of a movie/music would fall under this specifically. Am I wrong?

nhpr

You probably should have started a new thread, but that sounds to me more as if it's a question of whether or not you've cracked (maliciously hacked) a machine.

JDMurray

Specifically, if you have hacked without it being part of your job. I had to make that distinction in a security clearance interview once.

lochmoigh

Fellow ICE here as well, for me they did do a personal interview, neighbors, work mates, firends etc...

the_Grinch wrote: »

For my Secret clearance with ICE there was an at home interview where they go over the paperwork. Every agency is different and I believe that is why the government is forcing everyone to form to a standard...

the_Grinch

It was different for each of us, but we all had an in person interview. It came down to timing, some of the guys from my office got interviewed there prior to leaving for the academy. I didn't and the guy called my house, when my parents told him that I was already at the academy. His reply was he'd do the needed leg work locally and then have someone come out to GA to talk to me. I will say a friend of mine is a contractor and I am positive no one spoke with him. Filled out his paperwork and a month later he was cleared (for a Secret). They are streamlining it as much as possible, but it always come downs to you. The more places you lived, worked, or traveled dictates how long it will take (and the level of clearance). I interviewed at a contractor once and it required we get a Confidential and then worked off the head of the companies TS. Dunno how that works exactly, but that job didn't pan out anyhow lol

Blackout

the_Grinch wrote: »

Polygraphs aren't as bad as people think. I believe that it is the nerves that really gets people. But yup lifestyle polygraphs can be scary...

This ^
Old man told me a story about a guy married to a foreign national, they asked him if he ever talked to his in-laws and he said no. They asked him if they ever called the house, he said yes. Do you ever answer the phone? Yes and I give the phone to my wife.......So you do talk to your in-laws?

The guy got his clearance pulled for it. Scary indeed.

tpatt100

I had interviews for my Secret Clearance. They also interviewed some of my personal contacts I put down.

hey101

i have downloaded files like photoshop, music, and movies...will i fail the security clearance for nsa?

the_Grinch

When they ask the question about downloading, you must answer honestly. Also, they will ask when was the last time you downloaded something. It is my understanding that at various hiring events, applicants were told if they downloaded something illegally in the past year to reconsider applying. Fact of the matter is, downloading is stealing regardless of how you may feel about anyone actually getting hurt or not. It is no different then walking into a store and pulling that software, cd, or dvd off the shelve. That being said, any background check is to look at the whole person so it is to your advantage to be upfront and honest. Will you be denied a clearance based solely on that, where everything else is clean? No one here can give you an answer to that, it all comes down to the person or persons who will review your case and make that final determination.