[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 14, Volume 5]

[Revised as of January 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 14CFR1203.203]



[Page 15]

 

                     TITLE 14--AERONAUTICS AND SPACE

 

                          SPACE ADMINISTRATION

 

PART 1203_INFORMATION SECURITY PROGRAM--Table of Contents

 

               Subpart B_NASA Information Security Program

 

Sec. 1203.203  Degree of protection.



    (a) General. Upon determination that information or material must be 

classified, the degree of protection commensurate with the sensitivity 

of the information must be determined. If there is reasonable doubt 

about the need to classify information, it shall be safeguarded as if it 

were classified pending a determination by an original classification 

authority, who shall make this determination within 30 days. If there is 

reasonable doubt about the appropriate level of classification, it shall 

be safeguarded at the higher level of classification pending a 

determination by an original classification authority, who shall make 

this determination within 30 days.

    (b) Authorized categories of classification. The three categories of 

classification, as authorized and defined in ``the Order,'' are set out 

below. No other restrictive markings are authorized to be placed on NASA 

classified documents or materials except as expressly provided by 

statute or by NASA Directives.

    (1) Top Secret. Top Secret is the designation applied to information 

or material 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; the compromise of vital national 

defense plans or complex cryptologic and communications intelligence 

systems; the revelation of sensitive intelligence operations; and the 

disclosure of scientific or technological developments vital to national 

security.

    (2) Secret. Secret is the designation applied to information or 

material the unauthorized 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; revelation of 

significant military plans or intelligence operations; and compromise of 

significant scientific or technological developments relating to 

national security.

    (3) Confidential. Confidential is the designation applied to that 

information or material for which the unauthorized disclosure could 

reasonably be expected to cause damage to the national security.



[44 FR 34913, June 18, 1979, as amended at 48 FR 5890, Feb. 9, 1983]