' -

REF ID:A58021 

SECURITY 

-., 

- .. , r - DISPOSITION FORM 

-, FILE NO. 

~ee Distribution 

SUBJECT 

Presidential Order Af tect 

FROM 

AG 

. 1. By- Executive Order 10501~- dated 6 November 1953, the President has 

eliminated the use ot "RESTRICTED" classification, and the "SECURITY INFORMATION" 

notation. This order is to become effective 15 December 1953. Definitions or 

the remaining categories or classification are as tolloN'Sr 

a. TOP SECRET: Except as may be expressly prorlded by statute, the use 

or the classif'ication TOP SECRET shall be authorized,, b;y appropriate authority,, 

onlJ' tor defense information or material which requires the highest degree ot 

protect.ion. The TOP SECREI' classification shall be applied only to that information or material the defense aspect of which is pa.nuoount, and the unauthorized 

disclosure of which could result in exceptionally grave damage to the Nation such 

as leading to a definite break in diploma.tic relations affecting the defense or 

the United states, an armed attack against the United states or its allies, a war, 

or the compromise of military or defense plans, or intelligence operations, or 

scientific or technological developments vital to the nationa1 defense. 

b. SECRET: Except as may- be expressly provided by- statute, the use ot 

the classification SECRET shall be authorized, by' appropriate authority, onlY" for 

defense information or material the unauthorized disclosure of which cou1d r;esult 

in serious damage to the Nation,, such as by' jeopardizing the international relations of the United States, endangering the ef!'ectivenesa of' a program or policy 

or vital importance to the national defense, or compromising import.ant military 

or defense plans,, scientific or technological developments import.ant to national 

defense,, or information revealing important intelligence operations. 

c. CONFIDENTIAL: Except as ma.;y be expressly provided by' statute,, the 

use of the classification CONFIDENTIAL shall be authorized,, by appropriate 

authority, only tor defense information or material the unauthorized disclosure 

or which could.be prejudicial to the defense interests ot the nation. 

2. All Agency matter now classified "RESTRIC?ED" (except that noted in paragraph 3 below) will be automa.ticall,y declassified 15 December 1953. Material. 

originated. by this Agency,, now outstanding,, bearing the classification ot 

"RESTRIC'rED" 1 ma.;y be upgraded to "CONFIDENTIAL" prorlded it meets the standard set 

• .forth in paragraph le. There will be no mass upgrading ot "RESTRICTED" material 

to "CONFIDENTIAL". A document can only be upgraded by its originator, and only on 

the basis of its content. 

• 3. Exceptions to this Executive Order are as tollows: 

a. CRYPTOGRAPHIC S100URITY. In order to preserve and mintain cr;yptogra phic security as required by' the Act ot 13 May 1950 (Public Law,, 513,, Slat 

Congress): 

roved for Release b NSA on 05-08-2014 ursuantto E.O. 1352 18-&ilOl-8 If. L 80WUllMUT NIKTllN Ofl'ICll: 
.. REF ID:A58021 

(1) All material direct.17 related to cryptographic systems now 

classified "RESTRICTED - SECURITY INFORMATION" is upgraded. to 

11CONFID:mfl'IAL11 • 

(2) All messages preaent.q clasaitied 11RESTRICTED11 are upgraded. 

to 11CONFIDEN!'IAL11 • Such messages shall be declassified where 

possible art.er appropriate processing. 

b. Indorsements made prior to 15 December 195.3 to "RESTRICTED" basic 

coDllDl1ni.cations will retain "RESTRICTED" classification. 

c. Urgent amendments ma.de prior to 15 December 195.3 to RESTRICTED 

contracts will be classif'ied 11RESTRICTED11 pending review ot the classiticat1.on 

or the entire contract. 

d. Replies to 11RESTRICTED11 communications from foreign governments 

will be classified "CONFIDENTIAL" in order to protect the information tarnished 

by them. 

e. Communications of SECAN or DACAN which are NATO Agencies will 

continue to use classif"ication of 11NATO RESTRICTED". 

4. An unclassified rep'.cy or ref"erence may' not be made to a message marked 

"Paraphrase required," An unclassified rep]J' or reference by date-time group 

JDa1' not be made to a message marked 11No unclassified repq or reference it the 

date-time group is quoted." 

S. RESTRICTED material upgraded to CONFIDENTIAL under the provisions cit 

Paragraph 2 above will be stored under the same conditions now required tor 

CONFIDENTIAL material. 

6. Classified material fumished individuals not in the Executive Branch 

ot the Government will have the following notation stamped or written on the 

material: 

"This material contains in.formation affecting the nat,.ona1 defense 

ot the United States within the meaning of the espionage laws, Title 18, 

u.s.c., Secs. 793 and 7941 the transmission or revelation ot which in 8111' 

marmer to an unauthorised person is prohibited by' law. 11 

7. The provisions of the Executive Order will be incorporated at a later 

date in pertinent NSA. publications. 

DISTRIBUTION IV 
REF ID:A58021 

PUBLIC LAW $13 

(13 May 1950) 

"To enhance further the security of the United states by preventing 

disclosures of information conceming the cryptographic systems a.Di the 

conm11mication intelligence activities ot the United States. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 

States of America in Congress assembled, that whoever shall lmowingly and 

willfully commwiicate, .furnish, transni t, or otherwise make available to an 

wiauthorized person,, or publish,, or use in any manner prejudicial to the 

safety or interest of the United States or for the benefit of any foreign 

government to the detriment of the United states any classified information 

(1) comerning the nature,, preparatLon, or use of any code, cipher, or cryptographic system or the United States or any .foreign government; or (2) concerning the design, construction, use, maintenance,, or repair of any deVice, 

apparatus, or appliance used or prepared or planned for use by the United. 

states or any foreign government for cryptographic or communication intelligence purposes; or (3) concerning the comm.uni.cation intelligence actiti.ti.es 

of the United States or any foreign govenJJ11ent; or (4) obtained by the processes or canmuni.cati.on intelligence from the oommunica tions of any foreign 

government knowing the same to have been obtained by such processes, shall 

be tined not more than $10,,000 or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both."