Classified Information

A Secret document. "Sssshhh...I got a secret..."

General

The United Kingdom currently uses four levels of classification — from lowest to highest, they are:

• RESTRICTED.
• CONFIDENTIAL.
• SECRET.
• TOP SECRET.

Those working with such material must have the relevant security clearance and often must sign to confirm their understanding and acceptance of the Official Secrets Act. Government documents without a classification may be marked as UNCLASSIFIED. Interestingly, virtually every single unit in the British Army flouts the rules on Classified Information by routinely posting Part One Orders in plain sight on noticeboards - they are nearly always marked Restricted...

Caveats & Codewords

Descriptors

In addition, caveats can be applied over these classifications e.g:

• STAFF
• MANAGEMENT
• INVESTIGATION
• POLICY
• BUDGETS
• HONOURS
• PERSONAL
• MEDICAL
• VISITS

Nationality caveat

Protectively marked material may bear a nationality caveat, a descriptor defining which nationality groups it may be released to. By default material in the UK is not caveated by nationality, the classification being sufficient protection.

Examples of nationality caveats include, but are not limited to:

• UK EYES ONLY
• CANUKUS EYES ONLY - Canadian, UK or US citizens.
• AUSCANNZUKUS — Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK and USA, the UKUSA Community.

In addition, it is common to refer to the nations grouped with a national descriptor as [x] Eyes where [x] equals the number of nations involved i.e. given a national descriptor of AUSCANUKUS (as used widely in Afghanistan), it would be acceptable for an indivual from within that group to refer to the document or information as 4 Eyes to another memner of the same group, especially within an operating environment staffed by other TCNs.

Codewords

Dissemination of already protectively marked material may be further limited only to those with a legitimate need to know using compartmentalisation by use of codewords. Examples of compartmented material would include information about nuclear warheads, fusion, and naval nuclear propulsion. In some case the existence of a codeworded compartment is itself classified. Specific operations may also attract a specific classification coupled to a codeword in order to restrict knowledge of a fundamental component of - or critical capability within - that operation.

Examples of codewords include, but are not limited to:

• LOCSEN — has local sensitivity, and may not be shown to local officials.
• NATSEN — has national sensitivity.
• DEDIP, DESDEN — may not be shown to certain named officials.

Worldwide Security Classifications

Country	Top Secret	Secret	Confidential	Restricted
Argentina	Estrictamente Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial	Reservado
Australia	Top Secret	Secret	Confidential	Restricted
Austria	Streng Geheim	Geheim	Verschlusssache	Nur für den Dienstgebrauch
Belgium	Zeer Geheim	Geheim	Vertrouwelijk	Beperkte Verspreiding
Bolivia	Supersecreto or Muy Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial	Reservado
Bosnia	Strogo Povjerljivo	Tanjno	Konfidencialno	Restiktirano
Brazil	Ultra Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial	Reservado
Bulgaria	Строго секретно	Секретно	Поверително	За служебно ползване
Cambodia	Sam Ngat Bamphot	Sam Ngat Roeung	Art Kambang	Ham Kom Psay
Canada	Top Secret	Secret	Confidential
Chile	Secreto	Secreto	Reservado	Reservado
China	Juémì (绝密)	Jīmì (机密)	Mìmì (秘密)
Colombia	Ultrasecreto	Secreto	Reservado	Confidencial
Costa Rica	Alto Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial
Croatia	Vrlo tajno	Tajno	Povjerljivo
Czech Republic	Přísně Tajné	Tajné	Důvěrné	Vyhrazené
Denmark	Yderst Hemmeligt	Hemmeligt	Fortroligt	Til Tjenestebrug Foreign Service: Fortroligt (thin Black border}
Ecuador	Secretisimo	Secreto	Confidencial	Reservado
Egypt	Sirri Lilghayeh	SirriKhas	Mehoud	Jidden
El Salvador	Ultra Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial	Reservado
Estonia]	Täiesti salajane	Salajane	Konfidentsiaalne	Piiratud
Ethiopia	Yemiaz Birtou Mistir	Mistir	Kilkil
Finland	Erittäin salainen (TTL I)	Salainen (TTL II)	Luottamuksellinen (TTL III)	Viranomaiskäyttöön (TTL IV) ¹
France	Très secret défense	Secret défense	Confidentiel défense	Diffusion restreinte
Germany	Streng Geheim	Geheim	VS-Vertraulich	VS-Nur für den Dienstgebrauch
Greece	Άκρως Απόρρητον	Απόρρητον	Εμπιστευτικόν	Περιορισμένης Χρήσης
Guatemala	Alto Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial	Reservado
Haiti	Top Secret	Secret	Confidential	Reserve
Honduras	Super Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial	Reservado
Hong Kong S.A.R., China	Top Secret, 高度機密	Secret, 機密	Confidential, 保密	Restricted, 內部文件
Hungary	Szigorúan Titkos	Titkos	Bizalmas
India	परम गुप्त (Param Gupt)	गुप्त (Gupt)	गोपनीय (Gopniya)	प्रतिबंधित/सीमित (Pratibandhit/seemit)
Indonesia	Sangat Rahasia	Rahasia	Agak Rahasia	Terbatas
Iran	Bekoliserri به کلّى سرّى	Serri سرّى	Kheili Mahramaneh خيلى محرمانه	Mahramaneh محرمانه
Iraq	Sirri Lil-ghayah	Sirri	Khass	Mehdoud
Iceland	Algert Leyndarmál	Leyndarmál	Þjónustuskjal	Trúnaðarmál
Ireland	An-sicreideach	Sicreideach	Runda	Srianta
Israel	Sodi Beyoter סודי ביותר	Sodi סודי	Shamur שמור	Mugbal מוגבל
Italy	Segretissimo	Segreto	Riservatissimo	Riservato
Japan	Kimitsu, 機密	Gokuhi, 極秘	Hi, 秘	Toriatsukaichuui, 取り扱い注意
Jordan	Maktum Jiddan	Maktum	Sirri	Mahdud
Korea, South	I-Kup Bi Mil, 1급비밀	II-Kup Bi Mil, 2급비밀	III-Kup Bi Mil, 3급비밀	Dae Woi Bi, 대외비
Laos	Lup Sood Gnod	Kuam Lup	Kuam Lap	Chum Kut Kon Arn
Lebanon	Tres Secret	Secret	Confidentiel
Lithuania	Visiškai Slaptai	Slaptai	Konfidencialiai	Riboto Naudojimo
Malaysia	Rahsia Besar	Rahsia	Sulit	Terhad
Mexico	Ultra Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial	Restringido
Netherlands	Staatsgeheim Zeer Geheim	Staatsgeheim Geheim	Staatsgeheim Confidentieel	Departementaal Vertrouwelijk
New Zealand	Top Secret	Secret	Confidential	Restricted
Nicaragua	Alto Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial	Reservado
Norway	STRENGT HEMMELIG	HEMMELIG	KONFIDENSIELT	BEGRENSET
Pakistan	Intahai Khufia	Khufia	Sigh-E-Raz	Barai Mahdud Taqsim
Paraguay	Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial	Reservado
Peru	Estrictamente Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial	Reservado
Philippines	Top Secret	Secret	Confidential	Restricted
Poland	Ściśle tajne	Tajne	Poufne	Zastrzeżone
Portugal	Muito Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial	Reservado
Republic of Moldova	De importanţă deosebită	Strict Secret	Secret	Pentru uz de serviciu
Russia	Особой важности (вариант: Совершенно Секретно (Sovershenno Sekretno))	Совершенно секретно (вариант: Секретно (Sekretno))	Секретно (вариант: Не подлежит оглашению (Конфиденциально) (Ne podlezhit oglasheniyu (Konfidentsial'no))	Для Служебного Пользования (ДСП) (Dlya Sluzhebnogo Pol'zovaniya)
Saudi Arabia	Saudi Top Secret	Saudi Very Secret	Saudi Secret	Saudi Restricted
Singapore	Top Secret	Secret	Confidential	Restricted
Slovak Republic	Prísne tajné	Tajné	Dôverné	Vyhradené
Slovenija	Strogo zaupno	Zaupno	Zaupno	Omejeno
Spain	Máximo Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial	Difusión Limitada
Sweden	Kvalificerat Hemlig (KH); Hemlig/Top Secret (H/TS)	Hemlig (H); Hemlig/Secret H/S)	Hemlig/Confidential (H/C)	Hemlig/Restricted (H/R)
Switzerland		Geheim / Secret	Vertraulich / Confidentiel	Dienstlich / Interne au service
Thailand	Lup Tisud, ลับที่สุด	Lup Maag, ลับมาก	Lup,ลับ
Turkey	Çok Gizli	Gizli	Özel	Hizmete Özel
South Africa	Top Secret	Secret	Confidential	Restricted
United Kingdom	TOP SECRET	SECRET	CONFIDENTIAL	RESTRICTED
United States	Top Secret	Secret	Confidential
Uruguay	Ultra Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial	Reservado
Vietnam	Tối Mật	Mật	Kín	Phổ Biến Hạn Chế
NATO	Cosmic Top Secret	NATO Secret	NATO Confidential	NATO Restricted