Which statement best describes an SCIS's potential effect if compromised?

Which statement best describes an SCIS's potential effect if compromised?

• A. It could result in a Denial of Service that adversely affects national interests.
• B. It could reveal all classified data instantly.
• C. There would be no impact on operations.
• D. It would only affect local facilities.

Answer: (A)

Availability and mission continuity are at stake when SCIS is compromised. An SCIS breach could enable an attacker to disrupt access to or use of the system, causing a Denial of Service that impairs communications, decision-making, and command-and-control functions. This kind of disruption can ripple through national-security operations, reducing readiness and response effectiveness, which is why the potential effect is framed as impacting national interests. While data exposure is a concern in some breaches, the scenario emphasizes the most immediate and consequential outcome: loss of availability. The idea that all classified data would instantly reveal itself isn’t a guaranteed or typical result of compromising SCIS. And the impact isn’t limited to a single local facility—SCIS supports operations across multiple locations, so consequences can be broader than just one site.

Availability and mission continuity are at stake when SCIS is compromised. An SCIS breach could enable an attacker to disrupt access to or use of the system, causing a Denial of Service that impairs communications, decision-making, and command-and-control functions. This kind of disruption can ripple through national-security operations, reducing readiness and response effectiveness, which is why the potential effect is framed as impacting national interests.

While data exposure is a concern in some breaches, the scenario emphasizes the most immediate and consequential outcome: loss of availability. The idea that all classified data would instantly reveal itself isn’t a guaranteed or typical result of compromising SCIS. And the impact isn’t limited to a single local facility—SCIS supports operations across multiple locations, so consequences can be broader than just one site.