A process for triggering and propagating a covert mode status change using configuration protocol data includes, while a computing device is in a non-covert mode, maintaining one or more externally-perceivable output devices according to non-covert-configuration data of a non-covert profile; in response to detecting a trigger: changing the computing device to a covert mode; selecting a covert profile; controlling the externally-perceivable output devices according to covert-configuration data of the covert profile; and transmitting an instruction message to each of one or more second computing devices, the instruction message comprising: a status change message to place each of the one or more second computing devices in a respective covert mode; and covert-configuration protocol data mapped to the covert-configuration data of the covert profile, such that respective externally-perceivable output devices, at the one or more second computing devices, are controlled according to the covert-configuration protocol data.