LETTER TO HARRY E. FITZWATER FROM STEVEN GARFINKEL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88G01332R000200180018-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 5, 2011
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: January 3, 1986
• Content Type: LETTER

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General Information Security
Services Oversight
Administration Office Washington, DC 20405
January 3, 1986
Mr. Harry E. Fitzwater
Deputy Director for Administration
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, DC 20505
Thank you for your letter of December 27, 1985, concerning your
information security program. In response to my questions
concerning your increase in derivative classification,decisions,
you stated that some of the increase may be attributable to the
method used in collecting the data. The sampling method
currently used by the Agency involves taking an actual count of
all classification decisions made throughout the Agency during a
one week period and projecting that figure for a one year period.
I concur with your statement that the classification decisions
made during the week that the sampling is conducted could be high
or low, depending on events under way at that time. The
discrepancy between last year's CIA count of derivative
classification decisions and this year's certainly suggests more
than simply program increases. To lessen the possibility of
inaccurate statistics based upon a one time sample and to provide
more consistent reporting in the Information Security Oversight
Office annual report to the President, may I suggest that future
statistical reports be based on a one day sampling taken bi-
monthly, a two/three day sampling on a semi-annual basis, or some
other breakdown of the sampling period that will provide more
reliable statistics, without necessarily increasing the number of
days during which a'count need be conducted.
I would very much appreciate your consideration of 'a more valid
sampling procedure. Thank you for the excellent support you have
provided.
Sincerely,
STEVEN GARFINKEL
Director
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Central Intelligence Agency
3s- X 2,44 J
%' " (JLC 1985
Mr. Steven Garfinkel
Director, Information Security
Oversight Office (Z)
General Services Administration
18th and F Streets, N.W.
Washington, DC 20405
Thank you for your letter of 11 December 1985 concerning
the information recently submitted by this Agency on its
information security program. I was pleased to note in your
letter that there has been a significant decline in our FY 85
original classification decisions. This is attributable in part
to the vitality of our security education program and the
continuing emphasis this Agency places on maintaining the
standards established by the President in Executive Order
12356.
In response to the questions raised in your letter, we
have reviewed the information security program data for FY 1985
to determine the cause of the increase in derivative
classification decisions. We have concluded that the increase
in classification decisions does not represent any change in
Agency policy or operations but rather the Agency's response to
international events that impact on our national security. We
have also concluded that the rise in classification decisions
was not confined to any one Directorate but was across the
board.
To keep the policy makers fully advised on issues and
events that affected this nation during the past year, we
collected and processed more information.
Inevitably, the
availability of more information results
in
more analysis which
in turn results in greater demands from
our
customers. Each
step along the way, from the initiation
and
defining of the
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collection requirement, to the development of the means of
collection, to the publication of the product, requires
classification decisions on the part of various Agency
components. Taking these factors into consideration, it is not
surprising that the number of classification decisions has risen
and that the increase is not confined to any one component of
the Agency.
Some of this year's increase in derivative decisions
almost certainly is due to the tendency of classifiers to make
more use of the Agency's National Security Classification Guide.
This is evident in the 32 percent reduction in our original
classification decisions. I believe that your inspections have
also heightened awareness of the difference between derivative
and original classification decisions causing classifiers to
make more use of derivative decisions.
Some of the increase may also be attributable to the
method used in collecting the data. As you are aware, we use a
sampling method to collect this information, taking an actual
count of all classification decisions made throughout the Agency
during a one week period. We then project that figure for the
entire year, assuming that it is representative of the decisions
made during an average week. Clearly, the decisions made on
classification during that week may be high or low depending on
events or programs underway at that time. A sampling taken
during a different period could have produced distinctly
different results.
I hope this information will be helpful in preparing your
report to the President.
Sincerely,
Harry E. Fitzwater
Deputy Director
for
Administration
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STAT DDA/OIS/IRMD/IMB
Original
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Addressee
DDA Chrono
DDA Subject
OIS Subject
OIS Chrono
IRMD Chrono
IMB Subject
IMB chrono
EME
(23 December 1985)
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" General Information Security
Services Oversight
PNJkL Administration Office Washington, DC 20405
December 11, 1985
Mr. Harry E. Fitzwater
Deputy Director for Administration
Central Intelligence Agency
Washington, DC 20505
Dear Mr. Fitzwater:
Executive order 12356 requires the Information Security Oversight
Office (ISOO) to report annually to the President on the status
of the executive branch information security program. The ISOO
uses two methods to gather data about the program for this
report: (1) the ISOO inspection of each agency's information
security program and (2) the statistical report, SF 311, Agency
Information Security Program Data, provided to the ISOO by each
agency, which contains various data on the program, such as
original classification authorities and the number of documents
generated within an agency on an original and derivative' basis
during the fiscal year. The IS00 is concerned about some of the
data provided in the Central Intelligence Agency's SF'311 for
FY 1985.
A comparison of the Agency's FY 1985 and FY 1984 reports shows a
32 percent decrease in original classification decisions.
However, in that category, there was an 85 percent increase in
Top Secret, a 22 percent increase in Secret, and a reduction of
86 percent in Confidential actions. Although the overall
reduction in original classification decisions is commendable,
the increased classification at the higher levels is
discouraging.
The report also indicates a tremendous increase in derivative
classification decisions; up 1 million overall, or 42 percent. A
94 percent increase was reported for Top Secret classifications.
The combined data on original and derivative classification
decisions indicate a 34 percent increase in overall decisions and
a 93 percent increase in Top Secret classifications.
Before the ISOO submits its FY 1985 report to the President, we
believe an explanation for the increases reported above is neces-
sary. Please provide your input to ISOO by December 31, 1985.
Please include: (1) Any changes in policy or operations that
contributed to the increases; (2) information on the components
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within the Agency responsible for the changes in statistics;
(3) an explanation of specific events contributing to the
changes; and (4) the identification of types of information
classified in FY 1985 that were not classified in prior years.
If you have any questions concerning this matter, please call me
on 535-7251, or Harold Mason on 535-7254.
Sincerely,
STEVEN GARFINKEL
Director
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