Unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to the national security if it is secretive information.
Technical, Physical & Personnel controls.
Preventing compromise or loss of information Preventing unauthorized access and disclosure Regulating access to sensitive information Safeguarding all information regardless of its form Regulating access to controlled unclassified and classified information
Preventing compromise or loss of information Preventing unauthorized access and disclosure Regulating access to sensitive information Safeguarding all information regardless of its form Regulating access to controlled unclassified and classified information
Unclassified information requiring safeguarding and dissemination controls, pursuant to and consistent with applicable laws, regulations, and government-wide policies.
To conceal law violations.To prevent embarrassment to a person.To prevent embarrassment to the organization.To delay the release of information that does not require protection.
Information may not be designated as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) if it is already publicly available, if it falls under specific exemptions outlined by law or regulation, or if it does not meet the criteria established by the CUI program for protection. Additionally, information that is not deemed sensitive or that does not require safeguarding or dissemination controls typically does not qualify for CUI designation.
NATO uses three levels of security classification: Unclassified, Classified, and NATO Classified. Each level corresponds to the sensitivity of the information and the level of protection required.
This concept is known as aggregation, where combining individual pieces of unclassified information can unveil sensitive associations or relationships that require protection. It is used to safeguard sensitive information by preventing the disclosure of potentially confidential or classified details that could be derived from seemingly harmless data.
Unclassified data does not necessarily mean it will not affect government missions; it simply indicates that the information is not classified for national security reasons. However, unclassified data can still be sensitive or critical to operations, and its misuse or mishandling could potentially impact government missions. Therefore, while unclassified, it still requires careful management and protection.
One of the three categories of critical information is "Controlled Unclassified Information" (CUI). This category includes sensitive but unclassified data that requires protection and is essential for organizational operations. It encompasses various types of information, such as proprietary data or personally identifiable information, that must be handled with care to prevent unauthorized access.
Derivative classification is the process of incorporating, paraphrasing, restating, or generating new classified information from existing classified sources. It involves applying the same level of classification as the source material and ensuring proper handling and protection of the newly created classified information.
CUI Basic, or Controlled Unclassified Information Basic, is a designation for unclassified information that requires safeguarding based on specific privacy, confidentiality, or security requirements. It is a subset of CUI and applies to information that does not fall under any specific CUI category but still requires protection. Compliance with CUI Basic guidelines helps ensure the proper handling and protection of sensitive information.