Security Classification Guide

A Security Classification Guide (SCG) is the standing reference that tells derivative classifiers exactly which elements of a project, weapon system, operation, or program are classified, the level assigned to each element, the reason, and the duration or declassification event. Rather than re-judging sensitivity case by case, staff “derive” their markings from the guide, which promotes consistent and defensible classification across an agency.

For recordkeeping, the SCG matters because it ties a record’s protective markings to a documented authority and a built-in declassification trigger. When records reach automatic, systematic, or mandatory review, the governing SCG supplies the rationale needed to declassify, downgrade, or continue protection — making it a key piece of provenance for the life of the record.

For example, an SCG for a satellite program might state that the launch date is Unclassified, the orbital parameters are Secret for ten years, and the sensor resolution is Top Secret. Distinguish the SCG, which sets the rules, from the markings applied to individual records, which apply them.