Julien is a DOD program manager. He recently accepted a friend request from a woman on social media. They chat often through direct messages. The messages started out unrelated to Julien’s work. The woman’s messages quickly shifted when she started complaining about her job and offering details about her work. Over time, Julien and the woman started talking more and more about their work. The woman is now sending messages asking increasingly direct questions about Julien’s work. What should Julien do and why? Select the best answer)
A Delete their chats so that the woman no longer has access to any information he may have shared.
B Ask his coworkers if they’ve received direct messages to determine if there is a pattern.
C Report it, as the woman may be part of a broader effort to gather information about DOD programs.
D Ignore her. The woman is nosy but likely harmless.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The best answer is C: Report it, as the woman may be part of a broader effort to gather information about DOD programs.
Julien’s situation raises serious concerns about the security and confidentiality of sensitive information related to his role as a Department of Defense (DOD) program manager. When an individual, especially someone he does not know well, starts asking increasingly direct and detailed questions about his work, it could signal an attempt to gather information that could potentially be used for malicious purposes, such as espionage or sabotage.
By reporting the situation, Julien is taking proactive steps to protect both himself and his employer from any potential threats. The DOD likely has a system in place to handle these kinds of concerns, including monitoring social media interactions or investigating unusual patterns of behavior. Reporting the situation would allow the appropriate authorities to assess the situation and determine if there is any cause for concern.
Ignoring the situation or assuming the woman is “harmless” (Option D) would be a risky approach, as it might allow the person to continue gathering information without any intervention. Deleting chats (Option A) may not be sufficient, as Julien may have already shared sensitive information, and simply removing the evidence does not eliminate the threat. Asking coworkers about their experiences (Option B) might be helpful in gathering more information, but it does not address the immediate concern of reporting potentially inappropriate or suspicious behavior to the proper authorities.
In conclusion, reporting the situation is the most responsible course of action, as it ensures the safety of sensitive information and allows the situation to be handled by those with the expertise and authority to deal with it.