Where can the standards for the marking of DoD classified and controlled unclassified information be found?

Where can the standards for the marking of DoD classified and controlled unclassified information be found?

• A. EO 13526
• B. DoD Directive
• C. NIST SP 800-53
• D. OCAs

Answer: (A)

The authority that defines how information is labeled and handled sets the marking standards. Executive Order 13526 provides the framework for classifying national security information and specifies the uniform markings and handling instructions that must accompany that information. It lays out what markings appear on documents or media, how declassification is conveyed, and how those markings travel with the information through its lifecycle. DoD policy documents would implement and flesh out these rules within the department, but the official marking standards come from the executive order itself. NIST SP 800-53 is about security controls for information systems, not labeling or classification markings, and a DoD directive or OCAs would not serve as the primary source for marking standards.

The authority that defines how information is labeled and handled sets the marking standards. Executive Order 13526 provides the framework for classifying national security information and specifies the uniform markings and handling instructions that must accompany that information. It lays out what markings appear on documents or media, how declassification is conveyed, and how those markings travel with the information through its lifecycle. DoD policy documents would implement and flesh out these rules within the department, but the official marking standards come from the executive order itself. NIST SP 800-53 is about security controls for information systems, not labeling or classification markings, and a DoD directive or OCAs would not serve as the primary source for marking standards.