United States citizens must be kept informed about the activities of their Government. However, in the interest of national security, certain official information must be subject to constraints on its dissemination or release. This information is classified in order to provide that protection.

(a) Information shall be considered for classification if it concerns:

(1) Military plans, weapons systems, or operations;

(2) Foreign government information;

(3) Intelligence activities (including special activities), intelligence sources or methods, or cryptology;

(4) Foreign relations or foreign activities of the United States, including confidential sources;

(5) Scientific, technological, or economic matters relating to the national security;

(6) United States Government programs for safeguarding nuclear materials or facilities; or

(7) Vulnerabilities or capabilities of systems, installations, projects or plans relating to the national security.

(b) When information is determined to meet one or more of the criteria in paragraph (a) of this section, it shall be classified by an original classification authority when he/she determines that its unauthorized disclosure reasonably could be expected to cause at least identifiable damage to the national security.

(c) Unauthorized disclosure of foreign government information, including the identity of a confidential foreign source of intelligence sources or methods, is presumed to cause damage to the national security.

(d) Information classified in accordance with this section shall not be declassified automatically as a result of any unofficial or inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure in the United States or abroad of identical or similar information.