THE PRESIDENT EXECUTIVE ORDER 11652 - CLASSIFICATION AND DECLASSIFICATION OF NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION AND MATERIAL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01495R000200090015-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 21, 2006
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: March 10, 1972
• Content Type: REGULATION

Approved For Release 2006/04/21: CIA-RDP80BO1495R000200090015-8
FRIDAY, f:' - .aa i 10, 1972
1"'AS,H!NGTQi, D.C.
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VO!ume 37 Number 43
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Approveed For Release 2006/04/21 CIA-RDP80BO1495R000200090015-8
 Approved For Release 2006/04/21: CIA-RDP80B01495R000200090015-8
Iftwo
iTiflo 3-The President
EXECUTIVE ORDER 11652
Classification and Declassification of 'National Security litfornultion
and :Material
The interests of the United States and its citizens are best served by
making inforliiation regarding the affairs of Government readily a%-.dl-
able to the ptli)lic. This concept of an informed citizenry is reflected in
the Freedom of Information Act and in the current public information
policies of the executive branch.
Within the Federal Government there is some official information
and material which, because it beats directly on the effectiveness of our
national defense and the conduct of our foreign relations, must be sub--
ject to some Constraints for the security of our Nation and the safety of
our people and our allies. To protect as ain,t actions hostile to the United
States, of both an overt and covert nature, it is es.entid that such
official information and material be given only limited di.- ertination.
This official information or material, referred to as c1aMcd infor-
mation or material in this order, is expressly exempted from public
disclosure 111 Section 552 (b) (1) of Title 5, United States Code. Wrong-
ful disclosure of such information or material is recognized in the Federal
Criminal Code as providing a basis for prosecution.
To ensure that such iliforniation and material is protected. but only
to the extent and for such period as is necessary, this order identifies the
information to be protected, presci1}1e5 classification, d0\1"il"r ding, dc-
clasification and safeguarding procedures to be follo:,-ed, and cst: bLNhes
a monitoring system to ensure its effectiveness.
1\O11', THLREI'ORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the
Constitution and statutes of the United States, it is hereby ordered:
Sec"rlox 1. Security C1c_sijcation Categories. Official information or
material which requires protection ac-dust unauthorized disclosure in the
interest 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 "Confiden-
tial," depending upon the degree of its significance to national security.
No other categories shall be used to identify official information or
material as requiring protection in the interest of national security, except
as otherwise expressly provided by statute. These classification categories
are defined as follows:
(A) "Top Secret." "Top Secret" refers to that national security
information or material which requires the highest degree of protection_
The test for assigning "Top Secret" classification shall be whether its
unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause excep-
tionally grave damage to the national security. 1--,xt1nples of ,Cxccp-
tionally grave damage" include armed hostilities against the United
States or its alfe-s; disruption of foreign relations vitally afiettiug the
Approved For Release 2006/04/21 CIA-RDP80B01495R000200090015-8
 ? Approved For Release 2006/04/21 : CIA-RDP80B01495R000200090015-8
"W ~00
5210 THE PRESIDENT
national security; the compromise of vital national defense pleads or
Complex cryptolozic and communications intelligence svstcnis; the
rcyclat ~n of -cn.itiyc cries opcr.ations; and the disclosure of scien-
tific or technological diyclopments vital to national ecurity. This
classification shall be used with the utmost restraint.
(B) "Secret " "Secret'- icfcts to that national security information or
material which require; a substantial cC ;TCC of protection. The test
for assuming "Secret" cla: ification i_.e whether its unauthorized
disclosure could reasonably be e-Teltc.: e arise serious damage to the
national security. Ibsaunpies of ,aa ;e" include disruption of
foreign relations significantly affecting ii,: national security; significant
impairment of a program or policy direct+y related to the national secu-
city; reyelration of significant military plates or intelligence operations;
and compromise of significant scicntitic or tecluiolog-ic al developments
relating to national security. The chassification "Secret" shall be sparingly
used.
(C) "Cor2/hZc0ial."" "G-Aifidential" .refers to that national Security
information or material which requires protection. Tile test for rassi~-n-
ing "Confidential" classification shall be whether its unauthorized dis-
closure could reasonably be e: