About Stellarwind In Addition To Other Mysterious Classification Markings

(Updated: May 16, 2015)

Last week, on September 6, the US Justice Department released a declassified version of a 2004 memorandum virtually the STELLARWIND program.

The memorandum (pdf) is virtually the legality of STELLARWIND, which was a computer programme nether which NSA was authorized to collect content as well as metadata without the warrants that were needed previously.

Here nosotros volition non verbalize over the STELLARWIND computer programme itself, but accept a closed aspect at the STELLARWIND classification marking, which causes around confusion. Also nosotros acquire virtually the existance of mysterious compartments that dot to around highly sensitive but yet undisclosed interception programs.

> See also: The US Classification System

Classification mark of the 2004 DoJ memorandum virtually STELLARWIND

The redacted markings

The outset affair nosotros run across is that ii portions of the classification mark receive got been blacked out:


1. The redacted infinite beween ii double slashes

This is rattling strange, because according to the official classification manuals, at that spot cannot live something betwixt ii double slashes inwards that seat (see the nautical chart below). The classification grade (in this case: Top Secret) has to live followed past times the Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) command organisation (here: COMINT).

But equally the US classification organisation is rattling complex, at that spot are oft fry mistakes inwards such classification lines. If nosotros assume at that spot was a error made hither too, as well as then the outset term that has been blacked out could live around other SCI compartment, which had to live followed past times simply a unmarried slash (for instance HCS for HUMINT Control System would fit the redacted space, although that mark itself isn't classified).

If at that spot was no mistake, however, as well as the double slash is truly correct, as well as then it would live a consummate novel category which isn't inwards the (public) classification manuals. This reminds of the UMBRA marking, which also appeared unexpectedly betwixt double slashes inwards a classification line.

Overview of the categories as well as formatting for the US classification as well as command markings
From the Intelligence Community Classification Manual 6.0 from Dec 2013
(click to enlarge)

2. The redacted infinite straight afterwards STELLARWIND

The instant redaction starts right afterwards the lastly missive of the alphabet of "STELLARWIND", thereby carefully hiding the category of the redacted marking, which is determined past times how it is separated from the previous term. This could live past times a slash, a double slash, a hyphen or a space, each indicating a dissimilar level.

In this case, the most probable pick is that "STELLARWIND" is followed past times a hyphen, which indicates the side past times side term is around other compartment nether the COMINT command system, equal to STELLARWIND.

Classification manuals state at that spot are undisclosed COMINT compartments which receive got identifiers consisting of iii alphabetical characters. This would friction match the redacted infinite equally it would read like: "COMINT-STELLARWIND-ABC".

This undisclosed compartment in all probability also figured inwards around other declassified documents, where it sometimes seems to live accompanied past times a sub-compartment which is identified past times iii numeric characters, similar for instance inwards The New York Times. This report, which is over 700 pages long, has the overall classification "TOP SECRET // STLW // HCS / COMINT // ORCON / NOFORN":

The overall classification mark of the 2009 Inspectors General report
virtually STELLARWIND, amongst underneath the classification business as well as the
header of the study of the NSA Inspector General

Included inwards this study is the end version of the study of the NSA Inspector General, the draft version of which nosotros discussed above. We run across that inwards this end version, the classification business has been corrected: there's at in 1 lawsuit a double slash betwixt COMINT as well as ORCON, simply similar it should be.

This also agency that the double slash betwixt STLW as well as COMINT, which initially looked similar a mistake, must live correct. We also run across this double slash inwards the overall classification mark for the entire study (which has the additional HCS (HUMINT Control System) for information from the CIA).

Apparently STELLARWIND (STLW) was non an ordinary SCI command system (then at that spot would receive got been entirely a unmarried slash betwixt STLW as well as COMINT), but a category on its own, or belongs to a category non mentioned inwards the publicly available authorities classification mark guides.

Update #2:
In a speech communication on May 15, 2015, quondam NSA Inspector General Joel Brenner said that STELLAR WIND "was non SAP’ed, because the creation of a novel particular access computer programme requires Congressional notification, but it was run straight past times the Office of the Vice President as well as position nether the direct personal command of the Vice President’s counsel, David Addington" - which could perhaps an explanation for the fact the computer programme was or became a classification category on its own.