Department of Defense
DIRECTIVE
NUMBER 5105.42
August 3, 2010
Incorporating Change 1, March 31, 2011
DA&M
SUBJECT: Defense Security Service (DSS)
References: See Enclosure 1
1. PURPOSE
. Pursuant to the authority vested in the Secretary of Defense by sections 113, 191,
and 192 of title 10, United States Code (U.S.C.) (Reference (a)), this Directive reissues DoD
Directive (DoDD) 5105.42 (Reference (b)) to update the mission, organization and management,
responsibilities and functions, relationships, authorities, and administration of the DSS.
2. APPLICABILITY. This Directive applies to OSD, the Military Departments, the Office of
the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Staff, the Combatant Commands, the
Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Defense, the Defense Agencies, the DoD
Field Activities, and all other organizational entities within the Department of Defense (hereafter
referred to collectively as the “DoD Components”).
3. MISSION
. The DSS, as the DoD Cognizant Security Office for industrial security, shall
manage and administer the DoD portion of the National Industrial Security Program (NISP) for
the DoD Components and, by mutual agreement, other U.S. Government (USG) departments and
agencies; provide security education and training products and services; administer the industrial
portion of the DoD Personnel Security Program (PSP), except for those cases that DSS refers to
the Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) for adjudication and established
administrative denial and revocation procedures provided to individuals covered by Executive
Order (E.O.) 10865 (Reference (c)); provide authorized counterintelligence (CI) services; and
manage and operate the associated program-specific information technology (IT) systems. The
DSS shall also support DoD efforts to improve security programs and processes.
4. ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT
a. The DSS is a Defense Agency under the authority, direction, and control of the Under
Secretary of Defense for Intelligence (USD(I)), consistent with responsibilities assigned to the
