The Us Classification System

(Updated: Nov 28, 2018)

Top flat telecommunication frequently involve information that has to hold upward kept secret. To ensure that, governments bring systems to protect sensitive information past times classifying it, which is best known from document markings similar "Top Secret".

Here we'll explicate the classification arrangement of the United States, which is far to a greater extent than complex than most people think, also because it's i of the world's biggest secrecy systems. In 2012 almost v million(!) people inwards the US had a clearance for access to classified information,Abbreviations too Acronyms too the listing of Nicknames too Codewords.

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

Classification levels

The U.S. of A. of America regime classifies information according to the grade which the unauthorized disclosure would harm national security. Like many other countries, the US has iii classifications levels. From the highest to the lowest flat these are:

- TOP SECRET (TS, color code: Orange)
- SECRET (S, color code: Red)
- CONFIDENTIAL (C, color code: Blue)

Government documents that hit non bring a classification tin hold upward marked as:

- UNCLASSIFIED (U, color code: Green)

With 1.4 i grand one thousand US citizens, including some 300,000 members of the Intelligence Community, having a Top Secret clearance, it's obvious that additional measures are needed to protect the to a greater extent than sensitive information. Therefore, that information is position inwards separated compartments, solely accessible for those people who bring the 'need-to-know'.

This arrangement is called Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) for tidings information, piece other highly secret too sensitive information is protected past times a Special Access Program (SAP). Both sub-systems volition hold upward explained below.

The classification levels Confidential, Secret too Top Secret are sometimes called 'Collateral', denoting that no additional Intelligence Community command systems or compartmentations, similar SCI or SAP, apply.



SCI compartments

Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) is a arrangement to protect national tidings information concerning sources too methods, too is divided into command systems too compartments, which are farther subdivided inwards subcontrol systems too subcompartments.
These systems too compartments are commonly identified past times a classified codeword, some of which were leaked or bring been declassified. In total, at that topographic point may hold upward betwixt 100 too 300 SCI compartments too subcompartments, grouped into almost 2 dozen command systems.
SCI command systems too at that topographic point compartments are species of Controlled Access Programs (CAPs), which also include Non-SCI CAPs, similar for instance at the Secret level.

Known too supposed SCI command systems from past times too acquaint are:
- COMINT or Special Intelligence (SI)
- UMBRA (TSC?)
- ENDSEAL (EL)
- TALENT KEYHOLE (TK)
- HUMINT Control System (HCS)
- KLONDIKE (KDK, since 2011)
- RESERVE (RSV, since 2005)
- BYEMAN (BYE or B, defunct since 2005)
- Special Navy Control Program (SNCP)
- VERDANT (VER, defunct)
- PANGRAM (PM, defunct)
- MEDITATE (M, defunct)
- SPECTRE
- LOMA
- KLAMATH (KLM)
- CREDIBLE WOLF (CW)
- FOCAL POINT (FP)
- AZURE BLUE (AB)
- EARPOP
- ? (GG)
- ? (CRU)
- ? (OC)
- STELLARWIND (STLW, 2001-2009)

In a classification describe of piece of occupation this is shown like: TOP SECRET//SI

Multiple command systems are shown like: TOP SECRET//SI/TK

COMINT / Special Intelligence (SI)
This command arrangement is for communications intercepts or Signals Intelligence too contains diverse sub-control systems too compartments, which are identified past times an abbreviation or a codeword. In a classification describe of piece of occupation they follow COMINT or SI, connected past times a hyphen.

Known COMINT/SI sub-control systems are:
- Very Restricted Knowledge (VRK, defunct)
- Exceptionally Controlled Information (ECI)
- GAMMA (G)
- DELTA (D, defunct)
- [undisclosed]

In a classification describe of piece of occupation this is shown like: TOP SECRET//SI-G

Multiple COMINT compartments shown like: TOP SECRET//SI-VRK-G

Very Restricted Knowledge (VRK)
This sub-control arrangement was established inwards 1974 to bound access to uniquely sensitive COMINT activities too programs (no production or content). It contains compartments or categories which bring an identifier of i to iii alpha numeric characters.* VRK was succeeded past times ECI before long earlier 2004.*

Example: TOP SECRET//SI-VRK 11A

Exceptionally Controlled Information (ECI)
This sub-control arrangement protects highly sensitive information too sources too contains compartments, which are identified past times a classified codeword. In the classification describe of piece of occupation there's a three-letter abbreviation of this codeword. ECI succeeded VRK roughly 2004.*

Recently disclosed codewords for ECI compartments include:
- AMBULANT (AMB), APERIODIC, AUNTIE, ESCAPEE? (ESC), PAINTEDEAGLE, PAWLEYS, PENDLETON, PIEDMONT, PICARESQUE (PIQ), PITCHFORD, RAGTIME (RGT), REDHARVEST (RDV), WHIPGENIE (WPG).
Lists of ECI compartments from 2003 too 2013.

Example: TOP SECRET//SI-ECI PIQ

Multiple compartments: TOP SECRET//SI-ECI PIQ-ECI AMB

Since 2011, SCI type indicators used to grouping compartments, similar ECI, may non hold upward used anymore inwards classification lines too percentage markings. For example, information formerly marked TS//SI-ECI ABC must at i time hold upward marked TS//SI-ABC.

GAMMA (G)
This sub-control arrangement of SI is for highly sensitive communication intercepts (product or content)* too may comprise compartments, which are identified past times a codeword or an identifier of 4 alphabetic characters.

Some old GAMMA compartments were:
- GABE, GANT, GART, GILT, GOAT, GOUT, GROL, GUPY, GYRO

Example: TOP SECRET//SI-G GUPY

Multiple compartments: TOP SECRET//SI-G GUPY GYRO

[undisclosed]
Classification manuals tell at that topographic point are undisclosed SI compartments which bring identifiers of iii alphabetical characters. Some documents from such a compartment were declassified inwards early on May 2014. It seems that this compartment is for protecting information related to metadata collection, simply is dissimilar from STELLARWIND.About the STELLARWIND classification marking

Terrorist Surveillance Program (TSP)
The markings "TSP" too "Compartmented" were used instead of "STELLARWIND" inwards briefing materials too documents related to the STELLARWIND plan intended for external audiences, such equally Congress too the courts. The term "TSP" was initially used inwards relation to solely that percentage of the plan that was publicly disclosed past times president Bush inwards Dec 2005.NSA notwithstanding uses the UMBRA compartment