Which executive order created new standards for the process of identifying and protecting classified information?

Which executive order created new standards for the process of identifying and protecting classified information?

• A. E.O. 12829
• B. E.O. 13467
• C. E.O. 12968
• D. E.O. 12958

Answer: (D)

The key idea is how the government standardizes the process of deciding what information should be classified and how that information must be protected. This executive order established a uniform framework for identifying classified material, setting the rules for safeguarding it, and guiding its declassification across all federal agencies. It also created oversight to ensure compliance, such as a central office to supervise classification policy. In practice, it means there’s a consistent approach to what gets classified, who can access it, and how it’s safeguarded, rather than ad hoc handling by individual agencies. The other orders address different security areas. One focuses on protecting classified information in the hands of contractors and the industrial-security program, not the general process of classification across agencies. Another sets access and clearance procedures for individuals who need to see classified material. The remaining option pertains to a later update or variation of classification policy, but does not establish the original, comprehensive framework for identifying and protecting classified information.

The key idea is how the government standardizes the process of deciding what information should be classified and how that information must be protected. This executive order established a uniform framework for identifying classified material, setting the rules for safeguarding it, and guiding its declassification across all federal agencies. It also created oversight to ensure compliance, such as a central office to supervise classification policy. In practice, it means there’s a consistent approach to what gets classified, who can access it, and how it’s safeguarded, rather than ad hoc handling by individual agencies.

The other orders address different security areas. One focuses on protecting classified information in the hands of contractors and the industrial-security program, not the general process of classification across agencies. Another sets access and clearance procedures for individuals who need to see classified material. The remaining option pertains to a later update or variation of classification policy, but does not establish the original, comprehensive framework for identifying and protecting classified information.