User:VAcharon/List

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This is a List of U.S. security clearance terms.

Description[edit]

Security clearance levels are used as part of a method to control access to information classified under executive order or the Atomic Energy Act of 1954. This information will be referred to as national security information (NSI) and Atomic Energy Act (AEA) information, respectively. Individuals are granted personnel clearances (PCLs) after a personal security investigation (PSI). Corporate entities are granted facility clearances (FCLs). Security clearances are combined with formal or informal access determinations to provide fine-grained control of information.


Security levels[edit]

The two parallel sources of classification define eight types of clearance: three levels for NSI, and five access authorizations for AEA information. The three NSI levels, identical to the three levels of NSI classification, are, in increasing order of sensitivity:

  • Confidential
  • Secret
  • Top Secret

The Department of Energy issues five types of clearances, called access authorizations. Each provides access to certain levels of NSI and AEA classified information. Q and L are granted to DOE employees. The X authorizations are granted to employees of DOE access permittees. The QB authorization is granted to certain government officials. The authorizations, with their associated types of information, are:


  • L (C//RD, S//FRD, C//FRD, S, C, SNM Cat II and III)
  • Q (TS//RD, S//RD, TS//FRD, TS, COMSEC, CRYPTO, SCI, CNWDI, S 14, S 15, SNM Cat I, and all L)
  • LX (C//RD)
  • QX (S//RD, C//RD)
  • QB (same as Q)

No security clearance is required to access unclassified information, even controlled unclassified information.

Investigations[edit]

The following investigations are used in clearance determinations:[1]

  • ANACI (Initial Confidential, Secret, L, LX; only used for civilian employees)
  • NACLC (Initial Confidential, Secret, L, LX; reinvestigations)
  • MBI (A suitability investigation that includes an ANACI)
  • SSBI (Initial Top Secret, SCI, Q, QX)
  • SSBI-PR (SSBI Periodic Reinvestigation)
  • PPR (SSBI Phased Periodic Reinvestigation)

Many other investigative products have been used to grant clearances in the past. While some of them are still used to determine suitability for employment or enlistment, only the above are used to grant clearances.

Adjudication[edit]

  • Adjudication
  • CCF
  • JPAS (or under computers))
  • Reciprocity?

Additional investigation or adjudication[edit]

Certain agencies or special access programs require additional investigation or adjudication before granting access. Some of these additional requirements may include:

  • Polygraph
    • Counterintelligence
    • Lifestyle
    • Full scope (CI+LS) (check this)
  • Spouse NAC (normally part of SSBI, may be used with SAPs)

It is common to see employment advertisements or resumes combine a security clearance with additional investigation, such as TS/Full Scope Polygraph.

SCI eligibility[edit]

Sensitive compartmented information (SCI) is a type of classified information controlled through formal systems established by the Director of National Intelligence. To access SCI, one must first have a favorable SSBI and be granted SCI eligibility. Because the SSBI is also used to grant collateral top secret eligibility, two are often granted together and written TS/SCI. Access to individual SCI control systems, compartments, and subcompartments may then be granted by the owner of that information. Note that additional investigation or adjudication may be required.

Special access programs[edit]

Probably delete the whole section, or just link to SAP in Miscellany. S Information "above Top Secret" is called Sensitive Compartmentalized Information (SCI). It is not truly "above" Top Secret, although that phrase is often used in the media and movies. SCI information may be either Secret or Top Secret, but in either case it has additional controls on dissemination beyond those associated with the classification level alone. Compartments of information are identified by code words. This is one means by which the "need to know" principle is formally and automatically enforced. Only persons with access to a given compartment of information are permitted to see information within that compartment, regardless of the person's security clearance level. A security clearance is good for a number of years and must be renewed thereafter. Unlike a security clearance, which lasts for a given period of time after a background investigation, access to a compartment of information lasts only as long as the person's need to have access to the particular category of information. NOTE: Unclassified (U) is a valid security description, especially when indicating unclassified information within a document classified at a higher level. For example, the title of a Secret report is often unclassified, and must be marked as such.

For access to information at a particular classification level, individuals must have been granted access by the sponsoring government organization at that or a higher classification level, and have a need-to-know the information. The government also supports access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) and Special access programs (SAPs) in which access is determined by need-to-know. These accesses require increased investigative requirements before access is granted[citation needed].


Certain accesses require one to undertake one or more polygraphs:

SCI clearances are granted only for those approved for Top Secret clearances. Additional common compartments:

  • Gamma (G), subcompartment of SI
  • HUMINT Control System (HCS), protects human intelligence

In general, employees do not publish the individual compartments for which they are cleared. While this information is not classified, specific compartment listings may reveal sensitive information when correlated with an individual's resume. Therefore, it is sufficient to declare that a candidate possesses a TS/SCI clearance with a polygraph.

Computer systems and applications[edit]

Numerous computer systems and applications are used to request and manage personal security investigations, and to record clearance levels and access authorizations.

Forms[edit]

Paper forms are still in use throughout much of the security clearance process.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Aligning OPM Investigative Levels With Reform Concepts; DOE M 470.4-5 pp. II-4--II-5

External links[edit]

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of U.S. Security Clearance Terms}} [[Category:United States government secrecy|Security clearance terms]] [[Category:United States-related lists|Security clearance terms]] [[Category:Lists of United States abbreviations|Security clearance]] [[Category:Espionage terminology| ]]

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