Suppliers to the Armed Forces
How P-Secure Supports Defense Industry's Background Check Requirements
Companies supplying to defence are part of Denmark's critical infrastructure and are a primary target for foreign intelligence, sabotage and activism. With the worsening threat picture and increasing requirements for chain liability in defence contracts — underpinned by the EU's CER Directive and ISO 27001 — systematic screening of employees and subcontractors is no longer a choice but a necessity.
An FE security clearance can take a long time -- and in the meantime, companies still need to know who they're letting into their facilities and systems. A background check prior to security clearance is therefore both a practical and safety-sensible first step. The energy sector has already chosen to require background checks prior to security clearance -- precisely to reduce risk during the waiting period and increase security while the case process is ongoing. P-Secure recommends that defense contractors follow the same approach.
At a minimum, you should check: Identity (ID), CV and criminal record.
P-Secure makes it easy to manage the entire background check process digitally — from initial hiring to ongoing rechecking — with full traceability and documentation in accordance with GDPR and applicable data protection regulations.
Common standard for screening:
P-Secure recommends initial background checks prior to security clearance
P-Secure is working to establish a common standard for screening and background checks that can be applied across defense contractors and subcontractors. The platform brings together all the essential elements in one digital flow, and can be adapted to the needs of the sector and the individual function - e.g. ID verification, CV validation and penalty test handling. This allows companies to document their internal processes to the Armed Forces, FE and auditors — without increasing the administrative burden.
All government agencies have been required since 2016 to implement information security management according to ISO 27001, which requires background checks proportionate to the information accessed and the perceived risks. For public procurement, such certifications and controls are increasingly becoming a requirement — due to the chain liability described in the EU's CER Directive.
Due to the heightened threat landscape and increasing regulatory requirements, P-Secure recommends that defense contractors begin work on mapping out which employees and subcontractors need to be screened — and ensure that the process is in place before a formal FE security clearance is required.
Certifications and systematic employee management
Since 2016, all public authorities have been obliged to implement management management of information security according to the ISO 27001 standard. This requires background checks to be conducted on all candidates for employment. These checks must be proportionate to the business requirements, the classification of the information to be accessed and the perceived risks. For public procurement, such certifications often become a requirement due to the chain liability described in the EU CER Directive.
Foto: Lewis Keegan
Foto: Flyvevåbnets Fototjeneste / Forsvaret
Special requirements for defense contractors
Suppliers to the defense may face additional requirements, especially if the contract involves handling classified information. Here, the defence may require guarantees of confidentiality and screening of subcontractors. We are seeing a growing demand from companies that want to aggregate the overview of their own background checks, applications with the police or intelligence agencies on one unified platform.
Read more about the threats to the defense industry
Below you will find articles that describe the threats that exist in the field of defense and security.
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