Guide to Portion Marking Documents and Material - appendix b

Definitions

Classifier	A term used to identify either an Original Classifier or a Derivative Classifier.
*Confidential*	The lowest classification level applied to information whose unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause damage to the national security which the appropriate official is able to identify or describe.
*Derivative Classifier*	An individual authorized to determine that documents or material are (a) unclassified or (b) classified as Restricted Data, Formerly Restricted Data, or NSI in accordance with existing guidance or source documents.
Foreign Government Information	As defined in E.O. 12958, FGI is: "(1) information provided to the U.S. Government by a foreign government or governments, an international organization of governments, or any element thereof, with the expectation that the information, the source of the information, or both, are to be held in confidence; (2) information produced by the U.S. pursuant to or as a result of a joint arrangement with a foreign government or governments, or an international organization of governments, or any element thereof, requiring that the information, the arrangement, or both, are to be held in confidence; or (3) information received and treated as "Foreign Government Information" under the terms of a predecessor order."
Formerly Restricted Data	Classified information jointly determined by the DOE and the Department of Defense to be related primarily to the military utilization of atomic weapons, and removed from the RD category pursuant to section 142d of the Atomic Energy Act.
National Security Information	Information that has been determined pursuant to E.O. 12958 or any predecessor order to require protection against unauthorized disclosure and that is so designated.
Original Classifier	An individual authorized to classify NSI by an original determination based on E.O. 12958, where no specific guidance exists.
Restricted	An active security classification marking used by some foreign governments and international organizations.
Restricted Data	All data concerning the following, but not including data declassified or removed from the RD category pursuant to section 142 of the Atomic Energy Act: (1) Design, manufacture, or utilization of atomic weapons; (2) Production of special nuclear material; or (3) Use of special nuclear material in the production of energy.
Secret	The classification level between Confidential and Top Secret applied to information whose unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to the national security which the appropriate official is able to identify or describe.
Top Secret	The highest classification level applied to information whose unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security which the appropriate official is able to identify or describe.
Unclassified	The designation for information, a document, or material that has been determined not to be classified or that has been declassified by proper authority.
Xn	Signifies an exemption from declassification within 10 years because disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause damage to the national security beyond the 10-year limit; where "n" is the exemption category number as listed in section 1.6 of E.O. 12958 (see 10-Year Automatic Declassification Exemption Categories).