Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility

National Security Advisor Susan Rice (left) and President Barack Obama speaking on a secure phone after the 22 March 2016 attacks in Brussels from a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility

A Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF; pronounced "skiff") in United States military, national security/national defense and intelligence parlance, is an enclosed area within a building that is used to process Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) types of classified information.

SCI is usually only briefed, discussed, and stored in an accredited SCIF.

Access

Access to SCIFs is normally limited to those individuals with appropriate security clearances.^[1] Non-cleared personnel in SCIF must be under the constant oversight of cleared personnel and all classified information and material removed from view in order to prevent unauthorized access to said information and material;^[2] as part of this process, non-cleared personnel are also typically required to surrender all recording, photographic and other electronic media devices.^[3] All of the activity and conversation inside is presumed restricted from public disclosure.

Construction

Some entire buildings are SCIFs where all but the front foyer is secure. A SCIF can also be located in an air, ground or maritime vehicle, or can be established on a temporary basis at a specific site. The physical construction, access control, and alarming of the facility has been defined by various directives, including Director of Central Intelligence Directives (DCIDs) 1/21 and 6/9, and most recently (2011) by Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) 705, signed by the Director of National Intelligence. ICD 705 is a three page capstone document that implements Intelligence Community Standard (ICS) 705-1, ICS 705-2 and the TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT OF SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION FACILITIES or "Tech Specs." The latest version of the Tech Specs was published in September 2015 (Version 1.3).

Computers operating within such a facility must conform to rules established by ICD 503. Computers and telecommunication equipment within must conform to TEMPEST emanations specification as directed by a Certified TEMPEST Technical Authority (CTTA).

See also

• Security tent
• Cone of Silence, satirical feature of Get Smart television show with similar function

References

1. "Today I Briefed Congress on the NSA - Schneier on Security". www.schneier.com. Retrieved 2016-05-10.
2. Keating, T. J. (2011-04-01). Joint and National Intelligence Support to Military Operations. DIANE Publishing. ISBN 9781437938272.
3. http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg2/sso/reminders/12-2012%20Visitors%20Within%20a%20SCIF.pdf

• Trish Choate (January 15, 2009). "Air Force planning to train hundreds yearly in cyber warfare skills".
• Patrick Thibodeau (February 12, 2008). "Outsourcing helps spur data center land rush outside D.C."

External links

• "Physical Security Standards for Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities", DCID 6/9 Text; effective 18 November 2002. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
• "Director of Central Intelligence Directive 6/3 Protecting sensitive compartmented information within information systems", MANUAL. n.d. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
• Vaidyanathan, Rajini (22 March 2011). "Barack Obama's top secret tent". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2015-12-06.
• "Director Signature and Technical Specifications for Construction and Management of Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities." (April 2012)