When classified matter is entrusted or made known to you, you must protect it against loss or compromise. You are responsible for any act or failure that contributes to the loss, compromise, or unauthorized disclosure of classified information. This includes information that is passed verbally.

When you are found responsible for the loss, compromise, or unauthorized disclosure of classified matter or when you violate security regulations, you can expect to be disciplined promptly. Disciplinary action may include, in the case of military personnel, trial by court-martial or, in the case of civilians, prosecution under Title 18, United States Code, as amended, or other federal statutes, as appropriate.

PROTECTIVE MEASURES

Generally, there are four ways that classified information is protected: censorship, physical security, transmission security, and cryptographic security. As a photographer, you will be concerned primarily with personal censorship and physical security.

Personal Censorship

Censorship places a barrier between classified information and unauthorized personnel by preventing disclosure in the form of letters, conversations, and personal contacts. Restricting information at the source, except for official use, depends on the integrity and discretion of the individual.

Physical security

Physical security is the safeguarding of documents, photographs, and other items that contain classified information. Later in this chapter, another form of physical security used to safeguard property and material physically at Navy shore activities is discussed.

Physical security is the concern for protecting classified documents, devices, and materials, so they never fall into the hands of unauthorized personnel or come within optical range of actual or possible enemies. When working with classified matter, you must protect it from being seen by unauthorized individuals, either military or civilian. No person should have access to classified material unless it is necessary for them to carry out their official duties. Classified material must never be removed from its designated working space or left unguarded. When not actually in use, you must keep it locked up in an authorized container.