Who is authorized to change combinations?

• A. An authorized person, or the Facility Security Officer, or designee
• B. A commercial locksmith
• C. Any employee
• D. The Cognizant Security Agency

Answer: (A)

Changing a secure storage combination is a security-sensitive task that must be performed only by someone officially authorized to handle classified materials. An authorized person, the Facility Security Officer, or a designee has the proper clearance, training, and accountability to perform the change, verify identities, and document the action to maintain chain of custody. A commercial locksmith is not part of the security program and typically lacks the necessary clearance and authorization, which would bypass safeguards. Allowing any employee is too broad because not everyone has the need-to-know or clearance to access classified materials. The Cognizant Security Agency is the oversight body, not the individual who physically changes combinations. So, the authorized person, the Facility Security Officer, or a designee is the correct authority to change combinations.