What type of information could be reasonably expected to cause serious damage to national security?

§ 3a.11 Classification of official information.

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  • Which type of information could be reasonably expected to cause serious damage to national security?
  • What kind of information could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to national security quizlet?
  • Which type of information could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to national security of disclosed without authorization?
  • What information causes serious damage?

(a) Security Classification Categories. Information or material which requires protection against unauthorized disclosure in the interest of the national defense or foreign relations of the United States (hereinafter collectively termed national security) is classified Top Secret, Secret or Confidential, depending upon the degree of its significance to national security. No other categories are to be used to identify official information or material requiring protection in the interest of national security, except as otherwise expressly provided by statute. These classification categories are defined as follows:

(1) Top Secret. Top Secret refers to national security information or material which requires the highest degree of protection. The test for assigning Top Secret classification is whether its unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security. Examples of exceptionally grave damage include armed hostilities against the United States or its allies; disruption of foreign relations vitally affecting the national security; the compromise of vital national defense plans or complex cryptologic and communications intelligence systems; the revelation of sensitive intelligence operations; and the disclosure of scientific or technological developments vital to national security. This classification is to be used with the utmost restraint.

(2) Secret. Secret refers to national security information or material which requires a substantial degree of protection. The test for assigning Secret classification shall be whether its unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to the national security. Examples of serious damage include disruption of foreign relations significantly affecting the national security; significant impairment of a program or policy directly related to the national security; revelation of significant military plans or intelligence operations; and compromise of significant scientific or technological developments relating to national security. The classification Secret shall be sparingly used.

(3) Confidential. Confidential refers to national security information or material which requires protection, but not to the degree described in paragraphs (a) (1) and (2) of this section. The test for assigning Confidential classification shall be whether its unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause damage to the national security.

(b) Classified information will be assigned the lowest classification consistent with its proper protection. Documents will be classified according to their own content and not necessarily according to their relationship to other documents.

(c) The overall classification of a file or group of physically connected documents will be at least as high as that of the most highly classified document therein. When put together as a unit or complete file, the classification of the highest classified document contained therein will be marked on a cover sheet, file folder (front and back), or other similar covering, and on any transmittal letters, comments, or endorsements.

(d) Administrative Control Designations. These designations are not security classification designations, but are used to indicate a requirement to protect material from unauthorized disclosure. Material identified under the provisions of this subparagraph will be handled and protected in the same manner as material classified Confidential except that it will not be subject to the central control system described in § 3a.71. Administrative Control designations are:

(1) For Official Use Only. This designation is used to identify information which does not require protection in the interest of national security, but requires protection in accordance with statutory requirements or in the public interest and which is exempt from public disclosure under 5 U.S.C. 552(b) and § 388.105(n) of this chapter.

(2) Limited Official Use. This administrative control designation is used by the Department of State to identify nondefense information requiring protection from unauthorized access. Material identified with this notation must be limited to persons having a definite need to know in order to fulfill their official responsibilities.

(e) A letter or other correspondence which transmits classified material will be classified at a level at least as high as that of the highest classified attachment or enclosure. This is necessary to indicate immediately to persons who receive or handle a group of documents the highest classification involved. If the transmittal document does not contain classified information, or if the information in it is classified lower than in an enclosure, the originator will include a notation to that effect. (See § 3a.31(e).)

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§ 3a.12 Authority to classify official information.

(a) The authority to classify information or material originally under E.O. 11652 is restricted to those offices within the executive branch which are concerned with matters of national security, and is limited to the minimum number absolutely required for efficient administration.

(b) The authority to classify information or material originally as Top Secret is to be exercised only by such officials as the President may designate in writing and by the heads of the following departments and agencies and such of their principal staff officials as the heads of these departments and agencies may designate in writing;

(c) The authority to classify information or material originally as Secret is exercised only by:

(1) Officials who have Top Secret classification authority under § 3a.11(b); and

(2) The heads of the following departments and agencies and such principal staff officials as they may designate in writing:

(d) The authority to classify information or material originally as Confidential is exercised by officials who have Top Secret or Secret classification authority.

(e) Pursuant to E.O. 11652, the authority to classify information or material originally as Secret or Confidential in the FERC shall be exercised only by the Chairman, the Vice Chairman, and the Executive Director. When an incumbent change occurs in these positions, the name of the new incumbent will be reported to the Interagency Classification Review Committee NSC.

The following state regulations pages link to this page.

§ 105-62.101 Security classification categories.

As set forth in Executive Order 12065, official information or material which requires protection against unauthorized disclosure in the interests of the national defense or foreign relations of the United States (hereinafter collectively termed “national security”) shall be classified in one of three categories: Namely, Top Secret, Secret, or Confidential, depending on its degree of significance to the national security. No other categories shall be used to identify official information or material as requiring protection in the interests of national security except as otherwise expressly provided by statute. The three classification categories are defined as follows:

(a) Top Secret. Top Secret refers to that national security information which requires the highest degree of protection, and shall be applied only to such information as the unauthorized disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security. Examples of exceptionally grave damage include armed hostilities against the United States or its allies, disruption of foreign relations vitally affecting the national security, intelligence sources and methods, and the compromise of vital national defense plans or complex cryptologic and communications systems. This classification shall be used with the utmost restraint.

(b) Secret. Secret refers to that national security information or material which requires a substantial degree of protection, and shall be applied only to such information as the unauthorized disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to the national security. Examples of serious damage include disruption of foreign relations significantly affecting the national security, significant impairment of a program or policy directly related to the national security, and revelation of significant military plans or intelligence operations. This classification shall be used sparingly.

(c) Confidential. Confidential refers to other national security information which requires protection, and shall be applied only to such information as the unauthorized disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to cause identifiable damage to the national security.

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§ 105-62.102 Authority to originally classify.

(a) Top secret, secret, and confidential. The authority to originally classify information as Top Secret, Secret, or Confidential may be exercised only by the Administrator and is delegable only to the Director, Information Security Oversight Office.

(b) Limitations on delegation of classification authority. Delegations of original classification authority are limited to the minimum number absolutely required for efficient administration. Delegated original classification authority may not be redelegated.

[47 FR 5416, Feb. 5, 1982]

The following state regulations pages link to this page.


Which type of information could be reasonably expected to cause serious damage to national security?

Answer: Unauthorized disclosure of Secret information could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to our national security. Unauthorized disclosure of Top Secret information could reasonably be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to our national security.

What kind of information could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to national security quizlet?

Unauthorized disclosure of information could reasonably be expected to cause SERIOUS DAMAGE to our national security. Unauthorized disclosure of information could reasonably be expected to cause DAMAGE to our national security.

Which type of information could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to national security of disclosed without authorization?

Secret Confidential The unauthorized disclosure of this type of classified information is reasonably expected to cause serious damage to national security.

What information causes serious damage?

Examples of serious damage include disruption of foreign relations significantly affecting the national security; significant impairment of a program or policy directly related to the national security; revelation of significant military plans or intelligence operations; and compromise of significant scientific or ...

Which type of information could be reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to national security if disclosed without authorization?

Secret Confidential The unauthorized disclosure of this type of classified information is reasonably expected to cause serious damage to national security.

What classified information could cause damage to national security?

Sec. (c) Unauthorized disclosure of foreign government information, the identity of a confidential foreign source, or intelligence sources or methods is presumed to cause damage to the national security.

Which type of information may cause exceptionally grave damage to national security if it is made public or falls into the wrong hands?

Top Secret (TS) Information is further compartmented so that specific access using a code word after top secret is a legal way to hide collective and important information. Such material would cause "exceptionally grave damage" to national security if made publicly available.