Which office is responsible for implementing and monitoring the National Industrial Security Program and issuing binding directives?

• A. Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO)
• B. Office of Information Security
• C. National Security Office
• D. Information Management Office

Answer: (A)

Information Security Oversight Office is the entity that sets the rules for protecting classified information within the industrial security framework and runs the program across agencies. This office implements and monitors the National Industrial Security Program by issuing binding directives—most notably the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM) and other ISOO directives—that all agencies and cleared contractors must follow. Its oversight role ensures a uniform application of security requirements across the government and the defense industrial base, and it tracks compliance and program effectiveness.

The other offices listed don’t carry this combined mandate. They are not responsible for issuing the binding directives that govern industrial security nor for the cross-agency oversight of the NISP, which is the distinct purview of ISOO (within the National Archives and Records Administration).