"On April 3, 2014, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence voted to send the Findings and Conclusions and the Executive Summary of its final Study on the CIA's Detention and Interrogation Program to the President for declassification and subsequent public release"...
EDIT: also the fact that it's stamped "Unclassified" everywhere. If it was stamped as still classified and had been leaked, anyone with a clearance would risk losing it by reading the file.
Wait what?
>>EDIT: also the fact that it's stamped "Unclassified" everywhere. If it was stamped as still classified and had been leaked, anyone with a clearance would risk losing it by reading the file.
So a person with clearance can't read a leaked classified document? I'm confused, more explanation please ;-) This IS sounding vaguely familiar in some way, but I don't get it.
EDIT: Thanks for all the replies. Also, I find it interesting how many people here on HN are up to snuff on security clearance issues and ready to answer this question. 5 informative answers in 30 minutes!
> So a person with clearance can't read a leaked classified document? I'm confused, more explanation please ;-) This IS sounding vaguely familiar in some way, but I don't get it.
So just to go into a little more detail...
When a person with a clearance comes across classified information they must possess the proper clearance level along with being read-on to specific caveats (some of which actually cannot be discussed here but let's just say they're part of the markings that specify the classification level of a document).
While some classified folks may or may not be at a level of clearance and read-on to the correct caveats they still cannot mishandle classified information which would include reading or handling classified material in any way outside of a secure office. So even if you're cleared enough to read it you would be mishandling it on the public internet and thus could get your clearance taken. You also MUST report that this occurred as finding out after the fact also puts your clearance at risk.
> “Additionally, classified information is not automatically declassified simply because of unauthorized disclosure,” Wollman continued.
> “Classified information is prohibited from specific unclassified networks, even if the information has already been published in unclassified media that are available to the general public, such as online news organizations.”
Yeah, a security clearance prohibits viewing anything like this. Even if you have Top Secret you can't look at things that weren't meant for you to read.
The only people who are restricted from reading classified documents are those who hold government security clearances. Folks who haven't bound themselves to that particular machine cannot be told what they can and cannot read.
> So a person with clearance can't read a leaked classified document?
Yup. It's still classified. Otherwise anyone who was caught reading a document they weren't supposed to could just say "my friend gave it to me" or "it was leaked on the internet somewhere".
If you have a clearance you're expected to follow proper protocols in accessing classified information. Reading something via a leak is not the proper protocol.
Think of it as analogous to being given a "gift" that you know is stolen. Even though you didn't steal it, you know it actually belongs to someone else, so you shouldn't accept it.
To better state my initial point: if you have a clearance, you can only read classified material you're supposed to have access to for your job. If it's leaked but still classified, you can't read it.
