How important is the ability of intelligence officials to work in secrecy?

How important is the ability of intelligence officials to work in secrecy?

Yet the effective use of secrecy to protect sensitive information—and ensuring access to information, even when classified secret, to those who must have it—is one of the most important decisions intelligence officers face. Secrecy protects this advantage by keeping our opponents from knowing what we know.

Who can authorize an individual to originally classify information?

Classification Authority. (a) The authority to classify information originally may be exercised only by: (1) the President and, in the performance of executive duties, the Vice President; (2) agency heads and officials designated by the President in the Federal Register; and.

Why is secrecy in intelligence important?

Unexamined secrecy policies have even inhibited communication of intelligence within the government itself. The sensitivity of this kind of information is the reason we have a secrecy system in the first place, and when it is working properly this system positively serves the public interest.

Why is secrecy important to security operations?

In recent years, the U.S. government has pulled a veil of secrecy over much of its inner workings, using security against terrorism as an excuse. The risk is that by keeping information secret, we make ourselves vulnerable. The risk is that when we keep our vulnerabilities secret, we avoid fixing them.

What is the purpose of secrecy of information?

Secrecy is the practice of hiding information from certain individuals or groups who do not have the “need to know”, perhaps while sharing it with other individuals. That which is kept hidden is known as the secret.

How does the government declassify documents?

Executive Order 13526 establishes the mechanisms for most declassifications, within the laws passed by Congress. The originating agency assigns a declassification date, by default 10 years. NARA reviews documents on behalf of defunct agencies and permanently stores declassified documents for public inspection.

What level of damage can the unauthorized disclosure of information?

Confidential Scientific or Technical Information The only guidance provided by EO 12356 is that which is used to define the Confidential level — that unauthorized disclosure of Confidential information reasonably could be expected to cause damage to the national security.

Why does the government classify documents?

The purpose of classification is to protect information. Higher classifications protect information that might endanger national security. Classification formalises what constitutes a “state secret” and accords different levels of protection based on the expected damage the information might cause in the wrong hands.

What is the first step an original classification authority must take when originally?

Step 1 – Government Information Since the OCA must be the only one to classify the information, the OCA must first determine whether the information is official. This means the information must be owned by, produced by or for, or under the control of the U.S. Government.

Why are intelligence products classified?

Consequently, the products of intelligence are frequently classified because they contain information that reveals an intelligence source or method.

How do I get information from a government agency?

You can also search for information agencies have already posted online here on FOIA.gov. If the information you want is not publicly available, you can submit a FOIA request to the agency’s FOIA Office. The request simply must be in writing and reasonably describe the records you seek.

Why sponsor this hard copy of US National Intelligence – an overview?

I am pleased to sponsor the new hard copy version of U.S. National Intelligence – An Overview, which I believe will help people across the Government better understand and navigate the IC, leading to improved collaboration and coordination between and with the IC and with the rest of the Federal Government.

Where can I find information on the Freedom of Information Act?

FOIA.gov serves as the government’s comprehensive FOIA website for all information on the FOIA. Among many other features, FOIA.gov provides a central resource for the public to understand the FOIA, to locate records that are already available online, and to make a request for information that is not yet publicly available.

How does the US government use intelligence to make decisions?

The U.S. Government uses intelligence to improve and more fully understand the consequences of its national security decisions. Intelligence informs policy decisions, military actions, international negotiations, and interactions with working-level contacts in foreign countries.