capabilities i had could suck out secrets and pass them on the open market. >> to be in that position, snowden would first had to have undergone a thorough background investigation before being hired. >> these are very rigorous processes we go through. they get much more intense and in depth. >> so this 127-page questionnaire is the first step towards gaining access to all three levels of security clearance. confidential, secret, and top secret. it asks about your criminal and your employment history, and it also asks whether or not you have ever illegally accessed a computer database and about your loyalty to the u.s. government. at higher levels investigators may conduct background checks on close family members and public records going back a decade. >> a lot of time it will take a year or longer depending on the