INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP87B01034R000200070043-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 10, 2005
• Sequence Number: 43
• Publication Date: November 1, 1978
• Content Type: REPORT

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INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA
Information falling within one or more of the categories
set forth below may be classified if its disclosure reasonably
could be expected to cause at least identifiable damage to
the national security. These criteria are designed to aid
in the identification of information produced by or for the
Intelligence Community and its component elements which
information is believed to require classification protection.
Intelligence Community agencies should advise the DCI Security
Committee of any information which does not meet any of these
criteria but which they believe requires classification
protection.
a. Military Plans, Weapons, or Operations
(1) Intelligence Information concerning foreign
military intentions, capabilities, or activities.
(2) Information that could reveal the extent or
degree of success achieved by the United
States in the collection of intelligence
information on and assessment of foreign
military plans, weapons, capabilities, or
operations.
b. Foreign Government Information
(1) Intelligence information provided to the
United States by any element of a foreign
government, or international organization of
governments, with the explicit or implicit
understanding that the information is to he
kept in confidence. This includes information
revealing past, present, or proposed joint
intelligence activities or facilities involving
the United States or the nature thereof in
foreign countries.
(2) Intelligence information produced by the
United States, whether unilaterally or jointly,
with a foreign government or international
organization of governments, pursuant to an
arrangement with any element of such government
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or organization evidenced by an exchange of
letters, memorandum of understanding, or other
written record and requiring that the infor-
mation, the arrangement itself, or both be
kept in confidence.
C. Intelligence Activities, Sources, or Methods
(1) Information that could reveal or identify
a present, past, or prospective intelligence
source, whether a person, organization, group,
technical system, mechanism, device, or any
other means or instrument that provides, has
provided, or is being developed to provide
foreign intelligence or foreign counterintelli-
gence.
(2) Information which could reveal or identify a
present, past, or prospective intelligence
method, procedure, mode, technique, or require-
ment used or being developed to acquire, transmit,
analyze, correlate, evaluate, or process foreign
intelligence or foreign counterintelligence or
to support an intelligence source, operation,
or activity.
(3)
Information' not officially released that could
disclose the organizational structure of an
Intelligence Community agency; the numbers
and assignments of such agency's personnel;
the size and composition of the budget for
such agency or for all or any part of the
National Foreign Intelligence Program;
logistical and associated support activities
and services; security procedures, techniques,
and activities including those applicable to
the fields of communications and data processing;
o- other quantitative or qualitative data that
could reveal or indicate the nature, objectives,
requirements, priorities, scope or thrust of
any such agency=. activities, including the
missions, functions and locations of such
agency components or installations as are
under any form of cover.
(4) Information that could disclose the identities
of Intelligence Community agency personnel
operating under cover or of code designations
used to protect such personnel or intelligence
sources, methods, and activities.
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(5) Information not officially released that
could reveal the identity, number, location,
character, or skills of personnel covered
under agreements between an Intelligence
Community agency and other agencies of the
United States Government, elements of foreign
governments, or other entities.
((i) Information pertaining to contractual relation-
ships with private individuals, commercial
concerns, or nongovernmental institutions and
entities when such a relationship involves a
specific intelligence interest, or reveals
the extent or depth of knowledge or technical
expertise possessed by an Intelligence Community
agency, or when disclosure of the relationship
could jeopardize the contractor's willingness
or ability to provide services to such agency.
(7) Information pertaining to intelligence-related
methodologies, techniques, formulae, equipment,
programs or models, including computer
simulations, ranging from initial requirements
through planning, source acquisition, contract
initiation, research, design, and testing to
production, personnel training, and operational
use.
(9)
Information that could identify research,
procedures, or data used in the acquisition
and processing of foreign intelligence or
counterintelligence or the production of
finished intelligence, when such identification
could reveal a particular intelligence interest,
the value of the intelligence, or the extent
of knowledge of a particular subject of
intelligence or counterintelligence interest.
Information that could disclose criteria and
procedures for the handling of critical
intelligence that could affect the national
security of the United States or its allies
and that requires the immediate attention of
senior officials.
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(10) Information that could reveal, jeopardize,
or compromise a cryptographic device,
procedure, or system, or intelligence data
resulting from the employment of such a
device, procedure, or system, or the sites,
facilities, systems, and technologies used
or proposed for use in the collection,
interpretation, evaluation, or dissemination
of signals intelligence.
(11) Information that could reveal, jeopardize,
or compromise a technical or mechanical
device, procedure or system used or
proposed for the collection of intelligence
information, or the sites, facilities,
equipment, systems, operational schedules
and technologies used or proposed for use in
such collection or in the interpretation,
evaluation and dissemination of collected
information.
(12) Information pertaining to training in
intelligence sources, tpethods, and activities
provided to individuals, organizations, or
groups that could reveal or identify equipment,
materialsi, training sites, methods and
techniques of instruction, or the identities
of students and instructors.
(13) Information not officially released that
- could disclose Intelligence Community agency
policies and procedures used for personnel
recruitment, assessment, selection, training,
assignment, and evaluation.
d. Foreign Relations or Foreign Activities of the
United States
(1) Intelligence information that, if disclosed,
could le4d to foreign political, economic, or
military 'action kgainst the United States or
other nations.
(2) Intelligence information that, if revealed,
could create, stimulate, or increase inter-
national tensions in such manner as to impair
the conduct of United States foreign policies.
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(3) Information that could identify or otherwise
disclose intelligence agency activities
conducted or planned abroad in support of
national foreign policy objectives, and
planned and executed so that the role of the
United States Government is not apparent or
acknowledged publicly; or information that
could reveal support provided to such activities.
(4) Information that could reveal that the United
States has obtained, or seeks to obtain,
certain data or materials of intelligence
interest from or concerning a foreign nation,
organization, or group when the disclosure of
such effort could adversely affect United States
relations with or activities in a foreign country.
(5) Intelligence information that, if disclosed,
could lead to political or economic instability,
or to civil disorder or unrest, in a foreign
country or could jeopardize the lives, liberty,
or property of United States citizens residing
in or visiting such a country or could endanger
United States Government personnel or installations
there.
e. Scientific, Technological, or Economic Matters
Relating to the National Security
(1)
(2)
(3)
Intelligence information that provides the
United States with a scientific, technical,
engineering or economic advantage of value to
the national. security.
Information concerning research of a scientific
or technic al nature leading to the development
of special techniques, procedures, equipment
and equipment configurations, or systems, and
their use in the collection or production of
foreign intelligence or foreign counterintelligence.
Information dealing with the research and develop-
ment, operational planning, deployment, or use
of scientific and technical devices, equipment,
or techniques used for intelligence purposes by
an Intelligence Community agency jointly with,
or through the cooperation of, other United
States or foreign commercial, institutional, or
governmental entities.
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f. United States Government Programs for Safeguarding
Nuclear Materials or Facilities
Information on foreign nuclear programs,
activities, capabilities, technologies,
facilities, plans and intentions, weapons
and their deployment that could disclose the
nature, scope, or effectiveness of United
States intelligence efforts to monitor nuclear
developments abroad or could cause such efforts
to fail or be restricted in a manner detrimental
to national- security.
g. Other Categories of Information Related to National
Security and Determined by an agency head to Require
Protection Against Unauthorized Disclosure
(1) Information the release of which could be
expected to place an individual in immediate
jeopardy.
(Other categories may be added later.)
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