Information Security Oversight Office Releases FY 2017 Report to the President
Press Release · Thursday, July 12, 2018

Washington, DC

 Washington, DC –Today the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) released online its Annual Report to the President for FY 2017.  This report, mandated by Executive Order 13526, covers implementation by Government agencies of the security classification program and the Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) program.  

The report calls for fuller implementation of the CUI program, and provides recommendations to aid in modernizing the security classification system, which has an estimated annual cost to Government of over $18.39 billion.  It calls for adopting strategies that increase the precision and decrease the permissiveness of security classification decisions, improve the efficiency and effectiveness of declassification programs, and use modern technology in security classification programs across the Government.

The Information Security Oversight Office, established in 1978, is responsible to the President for overseeing the Government-wide security classification program, and receives policy and program guidance from the National Security Council.  ISOO has been part of the National Archives and Records Administration since 1995. ISOO consists of three directorates:

• The Classification Management Staff develops security classification policies for classifying, declassifying and safeguarding national security information generated in Government and industry.
• The Industry and Operations Staff evaluates the effectiveness of the security classification programs established by Government and industry to protect information vital to our national security interests.
• The Controlled Unclassified Information Staff develops standardized Controlled Unclassified Information policies and procedures to protect sensitive information through effective data access and control measures.

The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent Federal agency that preserves and shares with the public records that trace the story of our nation, Government, and the American people. From the Declaration of Independence to accounts of ordinary Americans, the holdings of the National Archives directly touch the lives of millions of people. The National Archives is a public trust upon which our democracy depends, ensuring access to essential evidence that protects the rights of American citizens, documents the actions of the Government, and reveals the evolving national experience. The National Archives carries out its mission through a nationwide network of archives, records centers, and Presidential Libraries, and online www.archives.gov.