Electronic Spillage of Classified Information

1. PURPOSE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO ADDRESS 
THE RECENT INCREASE IN ELECTRONIC SPILLAGES OF CLASSIFIED 
INFORMATION WITHIN UNCLASSIFIED PORTIONS OF MARINE CORPS 
INFORMATION SYSTEMS.
2. BACKGROUND. DURING THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THERE HAS BEEN 
A NOTED INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF INADVERTENT "SPILLAGES" OF 
CLASSIFIED INFORMATION TO UNCLASSIFIED COMPUTER NETWORKS. 
A SPILLAGE IS DEFINED AS AN INADVERTANT EXPOSURE OF 
CLASSIFIED MILITARY INFORMATION (CMI) ONTO MAGNETIC MEDIA THAT 
IS CLASSIFIED AT A LOWER LEVEL, E.G., TOP SECRET SPILLAGE ONTO 
SECRET, SECRET ONTO UNCLASSIFIED. THIS TREND WARRANTED THE 
RELEASE OF REF A, WHICH MANDATED STEPS TO SWIFTLY CONTAIN AND 
QUICKLY CLEAR CLASSIFIED INFORMATION FROM UNCLASSIFIED COMPUTERS 
OR COMPUTER NETWORKS. WHILE REF A NOTIFIED ORGANIZATIONAL 
COMMANDERS OF THESE PROCEDURES, ALL PERSONNEL WITH ACCESS TO 
CLASSIFIED COMPUTER FILES MUST BE AWARE THAT ELECTRONIC SPILLAGES 
WITHIN COMPUTER NETWORKS MUST BE ACTED UPON WITH THE SAME 
AGGRESSIVENESS AS ANY OTHER POTENTIAL COMPROMISE OF CLASSIFIED 
INFORMATION. DURING THE PAST 60 DAYS, THIS HQTRS HAS CONSULTED ON 
6 SITUATIONS WHERE IT WAS NECESSARY TO EXECUTE A GLOBAL RESPONSE 
TO CLEAR CLASSIFIED INFORMATION SPILLAGES FROM UNCLASSIFIED 
COMPUTERS OR COMPUTER NETWORKS. IN EACH CASE, CONSIDERABLE 
EFFORTS WERE EXPENDED NOT ONLY TO CONTAIN AND RECOVER FROM THE 
SUBJECT SPILLAGE, BUT TO EDUCATE COMMAND PERSONNEL ON THEIR 
RESPONSIBILITIES IN THESE MATTERS. 
3. DISCUSSION. THE RISING NUMBER OF INADVERTENT "SPILLAGES" AND 
SUBSEQUENT POOR FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURES CLEARLY ILLUSTRATES 
THAT ALL PARTIES HANDLING ELECTRONIC CLASSIFIED FILES DO NOT 
HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF PROPER PROCEDURES FOR CURTAILING 
DAMAGE THAT MAY RESULT FROM ELECTRONIC "SPILLAGES" OF CLASSIFIED
INFORMATION. ALL MARINES HANDLING CLASSIFIED ELECTRONIC FILES 
MUST BE REMINDED OF THE POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS IMPACT THAT 
ELECTRONIC SPILLAGES OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION MAY HAVE ON 
NATIONAL SECURITY. THE SERIOUS NATURE OF THIS SITUATION CANNOT 
BE OVEREMPHASIZED. JUST AS ANY COMPROMISE OF CLASSIFIED 
DOCUMENTS WOULD JUSTIFY COMMAND SECURITY PERSONNEL ENGAGING IN 
REQUISITE RECOVERY AND INVESTIGATIVE PROCEDURES, THE SAME 
PREREQUISITES AND PROCEDURES APPLY TO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION IN 
ELECTRONIC FORMS.
4. ACTION. NLT 30 DAYS FROM RECEIPT OF THIS MESSAGE, ALL COMMANDERS 
ARE DIRECTED TO CONDUCT SECURITY REFRESHER TRAINING REGARDING THE 
PROPER HANDLING OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS 
ON THE UNIQUE ASPECTS OF ELECTRONIC MEDIUMS. THIS SUBJECT TRAINING 
SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE THE "SPILLAGE" PROCEDURES CONTAINED IN REF A 
UNDERSCORING THE IMPORTANCE OF TIMELY REPORTING AND HANDLING OF 
ELECTRONIC "SPILLAGES". IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE IN TRAINING THAT 
ANY COMPROMISE OF CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS JUSTIFIES COMMAND SECURITY 
PERSONNEL ENGAGING IN REQUISITE RECOVERY AND INVESTIGATIVE 
PROCEDURES. COMPLIANCE REPORTING OF THIS SUPPLEMENTAL TRAINING IS NOT 
REQUIRED HOWEVER, THIS TRAINING MUST BE A PRIORITY TO ENSURE THAT WE 
ARE DOING EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR MEANS TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER 
INCIDENTS OF "SPILLAGE." 
5. CONCLUSION. IT IS EVERY MARINE'S AND CIVILIAN MARINE'S 
RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THE SECURITY OF APPROPRIATELY 
CLASSIFIED INFORMATION. RECOGNIZING THAT WE CAN NO LONGER SIMPLY 
"DELETE" THE ACCIDENTALLY SPILLED INFORMATION FROM AN UNCLASSIFIED 
MEDIUM, WE ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE CORRECT PROCEDURES OF DEALING 
WITH "SPILLAGES" TO MAKE CERTAIN THE INTEGRITY AND SECURITY OF THE 
INFORMATION IS MAINTAINED. PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS MESSAGE TO ALL 
ECHELONS OF YOUR COMMAND, ENGAGE ALL LEVELS OF LEADERSHIP TO STRESS 
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TASK AT HAND, AND BY ALL MEANS ENSURE THAT ALL 
INSTANCES OF "SPILLAGES" ARE REPORTED PROMPTLY. 
6. QUESTIONS CONCERNING SECURITY REFRESHER TRAINING SHOULD BE 
DIRECTED TO MAJ HENSEN AT DSN 224-2320. QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS OR 
ANY OTHER USMC COMPUTER NETWORK DEFENSE ACTIONS SHOULD BE DIRECTED 
TO THE MITNOC HELPDESK AT DSN: 278-5300, COMMERCIAL 703.784.5300.