[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 41, Volume 3]
[Revised as of July 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 41CFR105-62.101]

[Page 456-457]
 
           TITLE 41--PUBLIC CONTRACTS AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
 
              CHAPTER 105--GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
 
PART 105-62_DOCUMENT SECURITY AND DECLASSIFICATION--Table of Contents
 
                  Subpart 105-62.1_Classified Materials
 
Sec. 105-62.101  Security classification categories.


    As set forth in Executive Order 12065, official information or 
material which requires protection against unauthorized disclosure in 
the interests of the national defense or foreign relations of the United 
States (hereinafter collectively termed ``national security'') shall be 
classified in one of three categories: Namely, Top Secret, Secret, or 
Confidential, depending on its degree of significance to the national 
security. No other categories shall be used to identify official 
information or material as requiring protection in the interests of 
national security except as otherwise expressly provided by statute. The 
three classification categories are defined as follows:
    (a) Top Secret. Top Secret refers to that national security 
information which requires the highest degree of protection, and shall 
be applied only to such information as the unauthorized disclosure of 
which could reasonably be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage 
to the national security. Examples of exceptionally grave damage include 
armed hostilities against the United States or its allies, disruption of 
foreign relations vitally affecting the national security, intelligence 
sources and methods, and the compromise of vital national defense plans 
or complex cryptologic and communications systems. This classification 
shall be used with the utmost restraint.
    (b) Secret. Secret refers to that national security information or 
material which requires a substantial degree of protection, and shall be 
applied only to such information as the unauthorized

[[Page 457]]

disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage 
to the national security. Examples of serious damage include disruption 
of foreign relations significantly affecting the national security, 
significant impairment of a program or policy directly related to the 
national security, and revelation of significant military plans or 
intelligence operations. This classification shall be used sparingly.
    (c) Confidential. Confidential refers to other national security 
information which requires protection, and shall be applied only to such 
information as the unauthorized disclosure of which could reasonably be 
expected to cause identifiable damage to the national security.