OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF DEFENSE RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING 1 July 1970 MEMORANDUM FOR THE CHAIRMAN, DEFENSE SCIENCE BOARD SUBJECT: DSB Task Force on Secrecy Final Report The Task Force on Secrecy herewith submits its final report. This report, which has been coordinated with all members of the Defense Science Board, concludes the work of the Task Force. The report addresses specific questions posed by the DDR&E in general terms since time and resources did not permit establishment of detailed steps required to correct the deficiencies identified in the present DoD scientific and technical information security classification system. These actions are more appropriately the respon sibility of the cognizant DoD elements. In addition, the Task Force considered security classification from the national long range and short range viewpoints. These combined considerations, i. e., the specific questions posed by the DDR&E and the national considerations, resulted in a general conclusion that the DoD security classification system requires major surgery if it is to meet the Defense, national and international environment of today. Specifically, we found that: 1. It is unlikely that classified information will remain secure for periods as long as five years, and it is more reasonable to ! assume that it will become known to others in periods as short as one year. 2. The negative aspect of classified information in dollar costs, barriers between U. S. and other nations and information flow within the U. S. is not adequately considered in making security classification determinations. We may gain far more by a reasonable policy of openness because we are an open society. 3. Security classification is most profitably applied in areas close to design ard production, having to do with detailed drawings and special techniques of manufacture rather than research and most exploratory development. 4. The amount of scientific and technical information which is classified could profitably be decreased perhaps as much as 90 percent by limiting the amount of information classified and the duration of its classification. General recommendations to correct these deficiencies are contained in the report. F. Sut Frederick Seitz Chairman Task Force on Secrecy PREFACE Late in 1969 the Defense Science Board established the Task Force on Secrecy to consider questions pertinent to the classification of information in all stages of research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E), as well as procurement and deployment. The members of the Task Force were as follows: Dr. Frederick Seitz (Chairman) Dr. Alexander H. Flax Dr. William G. McMillan Dr. William B. Mc Lean Dr. Marshall N. Rosenbluth Dr. Jack P. Ruina Dr. Robert L. Sproull Dr. Gerald F. Tape Dr. Edward Teller Mr. Walter C. Christensen (Staff Assistant) In the course of its discussions, the Task Force consulted a number of individuals and groups, among whom were the following persons: Dr. John S. Foster, Jr. Director of Defense Research and Engineering Dr. Gardiner L. Tucker Principal Deputy Director of Defense Research and Dr. Luis W. Alvarez Professor of Physics, University of California, Berkeley Mr. Joseph J. Liebling Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Security Policy) Deputy Director (Research & Technology), ODDR&E Advanced Research Projects Agency Dr. Michael M. May, Director, and associates Lawrence Radiation Laboratory Mr. Walter McGough Acting Special Assistant (Threat Assessment), ODDR & E Special Assistant to the Deputy Director (Research |