DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION OF DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS INVOLVING COMPROMISE OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96B01172R000600020008-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 1, 2007
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: November 15, 1983
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2007/11/01 : CIA-RDP96B01172R000600020008-7
?AT!ONAL SECURITY AGENCY
FORT GEORGE G. MEADE. MARYLAND 20753
Serial: N/1705
15 November 1983
NSA review
completed
MEMORANDUM FOR THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY, IG/CM
SUBJECT: Draft Guidelines for the Preparation of Damage
Assessments Involving Compromise of Classified
Information
This is in reply to your letter, D/ICS-83-0760, Subject:
Minutes of the Eighth IG/CM Meeting, 5 October 1983, dated
24 October 1983, and Enclosure thereto. Our comments to the
Encl:
a/s, dtd 2 Nov 83
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2 November 1983
NSA COMMENTS ON DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION
OF DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS INVOLVING COMPROMISE OF
CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
1. Page 1, first unnumbered paragraph, line 4.
Recommendation: The U.S. Government element that should
properly be expected to prepare a damage assessment is the
agency with theoriginal classifying. authority. for .the _._..-.
information compromised instead of "the.agency_ that originated
the?'-information."
RATIONALE: The information compromised could be the
contents of a message or document originated by a military
headquarters. However, it may be based on primary information
initially promulgated by a. national-level agency.
2. Page 1,?second unnumbered paragraph should state under
whose authority the guidelines are promulgated.
RATIONALE: Establish authority.
3. Page 2, paragraph 2. The following elements should be
included in the content of damage assessments:
a. Identification of the nature of the disclosure
.(source of the compromise, date(s) of compromise, and
circumstances).
b. Classification of the specific information lost.
RATIONALE: Clarification.
4. Page 2, paragraph 3., line 4. Replace "in appropriate
circumstances" with "in all cases described in paragraph 1."
RATIONALE: Defines more precisely when assessments
should be performed.
~?~L 5. Page 2, paragraph 3., additional comment. A
requirement should be levied that departments and agencies
?y?` establish regulations which delineate internal responsiblities
and procedures for processing compromises and preparing damage
assessments.
RATIONALE: Such regulations are necessary to ensure
.the implementation of the draft proposal guidelines.
6.' Page 2, paragraph 4. Add new paragraph 4.(b) as
follows:
"(b) When a compromise occurs within a department or
agency other than.the one undertaking the damage assessment, all
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data pertinent to that compromise will be provided to the
department or agency performing the assessment by the department
or agency where the compromise occurred."
RATIONALE: This is the reverse of paragraph 4.(a).
The department or agency accomplishing the damage assessment
must be provided all relevent data by the department or agency
where the compromise occurred.
7. Page 3, paragraph 4.(b) is somewhat confusing.
Recommend it be changed as follows:
"5. Compromises Involving Foreigners. Where a
compromise is the result of actions by foreign nationals,
foreign government officials or U.S. nationals in the employ of
international organizations, the department or agency performing
the damage assessment should insure that it obtains required
information through appropriate inter-governmental liaison
channels."
RATIONALE:. Clarification and brevity. The
requirement to ascertain the nature and extent of the
compromise, and assessing the damage caused thereby, applies to
all damage assessments. The criteria for determining which
department or agency is responsible for performing a damage
assessment is already established in the first sentence of the
guidelines. The appropriate protocol channels for obtaining
information from a foreign government or international
organization are the officially established
intelligence/counterintelligence intergovernmental liaison
channels, vice U.S. Government channels.
8. Page 3, paragraph 4.(c). Rewrite as follows:
"6.' Compromising Involving Criminal Actions. Each
damage assessment will be coordinated with the General Counsel-
of the department or agency which prepares it. The General
Counsel will review the facts and circumstances surrounding each
compromiseSof classified information to determine whether a
violation of criminal law has occurred and, if so, report the
matter to the Department of"Justice."
RATIONALE: Intelligence agencies are required by
E.O. 12333 to report violations of law to the Department of
Justice regardless of whether criminal action is contemplated.
The proposed revision provides timely information to the General
Counsels of intelligence, agencies of matters that may require
reporting.
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