Information which if disclosed to unauthorized persons, could reasonably be expected to cause damage to the national security. Information which if disclosed to unauthorized persons, could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to the national security. Information which if disclosed to unauthorized persons, could reasonably be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security. Define original and derivative classifications markings. Original Classification - an initial determination that information requires, in the interest of national security, protection against unauthorized disclosure.
Information is any knowledge that can be communicated or documented.
Unauthorized disclosure is a communication or physical transfer of classified information to an unauthorized recipient. Information that already has been declassified and released to the public cannot be reclassified. Declassification - The authorized change in the status of information from classified information to unclassified information. If a specific date or event for declassification cannot be determined, then information shall be marked for declassification 10 years from the date of the original decision. The original classification authority may extend the duration of classification for a successive period, not to exceed 10 years at a time.