REF ID:A65750-

USCIB: 13. 7/40 

20 April 1955 

!ilEMORANDtM FOR THE MEMBERS OF USCIB: 

Subject: USCIB l'J. 7/39 dated 4 April 1955. 

No objection having been received to the subject paper by 

15 April 1955, the NSA proposal contained therein is considered 

approved. 

USCIB: 13. 7/40 

24 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 04-09-2014 pursuant to E. 0. 1352B 
[, 

USCIB: l.'.3. 7 /.'.39 

!OP S!efm'f 

TO~A657~ 

• 

APPE?l.1DED DOCUMENT CONTAINS 

CODEWORD MATERIAL 

4 April 1955 

MEMORAND1J1'! FOR THE Ml!MBERS OF USCIB: 

· Subject: Delineation of Categories of COM.INT. 

Reference: USCIB l.'.3.7/.'.3.'.3 of 30 August 1954. 

1. In the enclosed memorandum the NSA member of USCIBEC points out 

certain procedural problems in the categorization of CCMINT and, in 

paragraph 4 of his memorandum, suggests a solution for these problems. 

2. As the solution suggested seems eminently reasonable and designed 

to cut unnecessary red tape without short-circuiting anyone's particular 

interests, its adoption is recommended. 

,'.3. No objeetion prior to the close of business Thursday, 15 April 

1955, will be considered to constitute approval of the procedure set 

forth in paragraph 4 of the enclosure and the reference will be annotated 

accordingly. 

Enclosure 

NSA Serial 2155 dtd 1 Apr 1955. 

\I· 

USCIB: 13. 7 /39 

APPENDED DOCUMENT CONTAINS 

CODEWORD MATERIAD 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 02-21-2014 pursuant to E. 0. 1352B 

TOP SECRET 
. . 

NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY 

WASHINGTON 25, D. C. 

MEMORANDUM FOR THE EXECUTIVE SECREl'ARY, USCIB 

SUBJECT: Categorization of COMINT. 

Serial: 2155 

1 APR 1955 

1. Since the full implementation of Appendix B, it has becane 

evident that the procedures governing the recategorizing of cryptographic systems which routinely replace existing ones may require 

revision. 

2. It is a well-known fact that many cryptographic systems 

are changed periodically, and this is often accomplished without 

changing to any significant degree the type of cryptography employed, 

the level or number of subscribers and the type of information which 

it carries. According to the procedures established by USCIB, how~ 

ever, the same succession of actions and clearances which surround 

the original categorization of the system must be repeated in every 

instance of system permutation, however slight it may be. This 

situation arises because categorization actions are tied to specific 

short titles of cryptographic systems, and cryptographic changes are 

always indicated by new short title notations. The effect of this 

provision is that whenever a cryptosystem which has been fonnally 

assigned to Category II (and therefore published as SEGRE!' CODEWORD) 

undergoes this sort of change, it must be treated as an entirely new 

system and therefore automatically upgraded to Category III (TOP 

SECRET CODEWORD). It must remain in this most sensitive Category 

throughout the period that all steps in the entire categorization 

procedure are retraced, and because this involves the concurrence of 

each USCIB member department and agency, as well as GCHQ, this period 

is of unpredictable duration. 

3. This is B.f1 undesirable arrangement for at least two reasons: 

a. It ne~ates the aim of Appendix B, which is, that a system 

once downgraded may not effectively be upgraded, and, ; 

b. It would automatically deprive any CCMINT user who was 

authorized to rec~~ve only Category II CCMINT of this information 

during the recategorizing process. If the cryptographic change 

occurred prior to or during an emergency, he would be deprived of 

COMINT when he most needed it. 

Enclosure with USCIB 13.7/39 dtd 4 Apr 1955. 
• • 

• 

'lOP S!iaRB'i' lHBJ!iR 

TOPSE~T~1~ 

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Serial: 2155 

l APR 1955 

4. In order to insurE;1 an uninterrupted flow of information to 

COMINT recipients 1 it is recommended that USCIB affirm that the 

Director, NSA,, may assign a cryptosystem to the same category as is 

assigned to the system which it succeeds when he dete:nnines that it 

has not undergone any change which affects the general criteria of 

assignment as outlined in paragraph 9 of Appendix B. 

5. A similar suggestion has been made by GCHQ. In informal 

discussion of this matter with representatives of all USCIB members,, 

no objections were raised, but it was generally felt that Board 

approval was desirable. Accordingly,, I submit this item for appropriate action. 

(Signed) 

J. S. HOLTWICK~ Jr. 

Captain,, US Navy 

NSA Member,, USCIBEC 

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TOP SECRET BIDER