44.6.1. Why Multi-Level?

44.6.1. Why Multi-Level?

The term multi-level arises from the defense community's security classifications: Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret.

Individuals must be granted appropriate clearances before they can see classified information. Those with Confidential clearance are only authorized to view Confidential documents; they are not trusted to look at Secret or Top Secret information. The rules that apply to data flow operate from lower levels to higher levels, and never the reverse. This is illustrated below.

Information Security Levels

Hierarchy of Information Security Levels. The arrows indicate the direction in which rules allow data to flow.

Figure 44.2. Information Security Levels


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