Executive branch agencies that are not part of the US Intelligence Community (IC) can still get access to classified intelligence and to IC information technology systems under certain conditions.
But they must follow procedures that were spelled out last month in new policy guidance from Director of National Intelligence Daniel R. Coats.
In a nutshell, the non-IC agency must have an identifiable need for access to intelligence information and must be able to meet required physical security standards for safeguarding the information.
“The originating [IC] element must receive confirmation from the [non-IC] Federal Partner that all applicable safeguarding requirements in law and policy are met prior to gaining access to the data.”
See Federal Partner Access to Intelligence Community Information Technology Systems, Intelligence Community Policy Guidance 404.1, June 16, 2017.
The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency is responsible for monitoring the activities of non-IC personnel who are present on IC networks “to ensure access is consistent with U.S. legal and policy requirements, and report any variance.”
To increase the real and perceived benefit of research funding, funding agencies should develop challenge goals for their extramural research programs focused on the impact portion of their mission.
Without trusted mechanisms to ensure privacy while enabling secure data access, essential R&D stalls, educational innovation stalls, and U.S. global competitiveness suffers.
Satellite imagery has long served as a tool for observing on-the-ground activity worldwide, and offers especially valuable insights into the operation, development, and physical features related to nuclear technology.
This year’s Red Sky Summit was an opportunity to further consider what the role of fire tech can and should be – and how public policy can support its development, scaling, and application.