Re: Classification levels (was: Re: "S1" encryption system (was: this looked like it might be interesting) (fwd))

[Nathan Zook <nzook@bga.com>]

On Wed, 9 Aug 1995, James Caldwell wrote:

> PHrEaK! wrote:
> > 
> > In high school I was in JROTC and was put in charge of security for our
> > batallion. I read the army's guides to physical security. These books
> > were dated early 80's and late 70's, so the situation might have changed, 
> > but I doubt it. They denoted three information security clearance levels.
> > CLASSIFIED, SECRET, and TOP SECRET. If TOP SECRET doesn't exist now, it
> > definately did just a few years ago. 
>                                                     _
> Actually there is one other For Official Use Only (FOUO), not as bad a
> penelty if these docs get out.
> 

I was in the USAF 1987-1990, Tenn ANG 1990-1.  Documents are classified 
to five levels:

EEFI:  Essential Elements of Friendly Information-- pieced together, 
documents containing EEFIs may compromise classified info.  Usually, 
documents containing EEFIs are classified FOUO, but it is not required.

FUOU:  Usually not considered damaging by themselves.  FUOU documents are 
not considered classified, per se.
CONFIDENTIAL:
SECRET:
TOP SECRET:  These three differ in a matter of degrees.  Secret/Top 
             Secret information may cost lives, or millions of $.

All TOP SECRET information is automatically given an SCI (Special 
Compartmentalized Information) Category, and placed on a NTK (Need To 
Know) only access.  Many of the SCI abbreviations are themselves 
classified TS.  (The only one I know is "Q"--Nuclear.)  Each time 
clearance is extended to a new SCI, a new security background check must 
be made.

If you have clearance Q, and you want to see the plans for the MX, you 
had better be able to demonstrate NTK (usually from orders).


And no--there is no way under the sun that TS is going to be removed any 
time soon.

Nathan