[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 14, Volume 5]
[Revised as of January 1, 2008]
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]