USG CLASSIFICATION GLOSSARY

A SELECT FEW TERMS OF INTEREST:

Collateral – All national security information classified CONFIDENTIAL, SECRET, TOP
SECRET under the provisions of an Executive Order for which special Intelligence Community systems of compartmentation (such as, sensitive compartmented information) are not formally established.

Communication Intelligence or “COMINT” – Technical and intelligence information derived from foreign communication by other than the intended recipients.

Communication Security (COMSEC) – Protective measures to prevent unauthorized persons
from receive classified information via telecommunications.

Director of Central Intelligence Directive or “DCID” – The President’s principal foreign intelligence adviser appointed by him with the consent of the Senate to be the head of the Intelligence Community and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and to discharge those authorities and responsibilities as they are prescribed by law and by Presidential and National Security Council directives.
("Dee-skid"). Several important DCID published.

Foreign Government Information – Information that is (a) provided to the U.S. by a foreign government or governments, and international organization of governments, or any element thereof with the expectation, expressed or implied, that the information, the source of the information, or both, are to be held in confidence; or (b) produced by the U.S. pursuant to or as a result of a joint arrangement with a foreign government or governments or an international organization of governments, or any element thereof requiring that the information, the arrangements, or both, are to be held in confidence.

GAMMA or “G” – Unclassified term used to describe a type of SCI

Limited Distribution or “LIMDIS” – Identify unclassified geospatial information and data which the SecDef may withhold from public disclosure.

Need-to-Know – A determination by an authorized holder of classified information that access to specific classified material in their procession is required by another person to perform a specific and authorized function to carry out a national task. Such person shall process an
appropriate security clearance and access approvals in accordance with DCID 1/14.


Sensitive Compartmented Information or “SCI” – Classified information concerning or derived from intelligence sources, methods, or analytical processes, which is required to be handled within formal access control systems established by the Director or Central Intelligence. The term does not include Restricted Data as defined in Section II, Public Law 83-703, Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended.


Special Access Program or “SAP” – Any program, which may or may not contain SCI, imposing need-to-know and access controls beyond those normally provided for access to CONFIDENTIAL, SECRET, and TOP SECRET information. Such controls may include, but are not limited to, access approval; adjudicative or investigative requirements; special designation of official s authorized to determine need-to-know; or special list or persons determined to have a need-to-know.

TK – Unclassified term used to describe a type of SCI.

Trigraph – A group of three letters used to identify specific country or specific accesses.

Unauthorized Disclosure – A communication or physical transfer or classified information to an unauthorized recipient.