What are the three classification levels used for national security information?

What are the three classification levels used for national security information?

• A. Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret
• B. Public, Confidential, and Secret
• C. Restricted, Confidential, and Top Secret
• D. Unclassified, Secret, and Top Secret

Answer: (A)

Three classification levels used for national security information are Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret. These levels indicate how sensitive the information is and how strict the protections must be. The higher the level, the greater the potential harm if disclosure occurs, and the more stringent the handling and access controls. Confidential information, if disclosed, could cause damage; Secret information could cause serious damage; Top Secret information could cause exceptionally grave damage. Access and handling require appropriate clearance and a need-to-know determination, along with secure storage, transmission, and disposal practices. Other options mix in terms that aren’t part of the official three-tier system or use nonstandard language. Public and Unclassified refer to information that isn’t classified, which isn’t part of the protected hierarchy, and Restricted is not the current standard three-level framework. So the trio Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret is the correct, widely used scheme.

Three classification levels used for national security information are Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret. These levels indicate how sensitive the information is and how strict the protections must be. The higher the level, the greater the potential harm if disclosure occurs, and the more stringent the handling and access controls. Confidential information, if disclosed, could cause damage; Secret information could cause serious damage; Top Secret information could cause exceptionally grave damage. Access and handling require appropriate clearance and a need-to-know determination, along with secure storage, transmission, and disposal practices.

Other options mix in terms that aren’t part of the official three-tier system or use nonstandard language. Public and Unclassified refer to information that isn’t classified, which isn’t part of the protected hierarchy, and Restricted is not the current standard three-level framework. So the trio Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret is the correct, widely used scheme.