The US Department of Defense has, since time immemorial, created and stored hundreds of millions of classified documents. However, an audit revealed this year that these documents have been in disarray, piled up in an embarrassing manner that can potentially compromise national security.
The Problem
Classified documents, in theory, should be clearly stored and cataloged properly. Unfortunately, due to a combination of fast growth and human error, they end up piled up in an ambiguous state. This has been causing significant headaches in the DoD, a level of shoddiness that’s unacceptable for a department with such vital and sensitive responsibilities.
The Solution
Congress has proposed a lo-fi solution to this problem: labeled documents folders. The folders will provide a much-needed catalogue for the DoD to better keep track of its classified documents.
- The folders would come with a designated area for labelling the contents
- The labelling would be a fully automated process, with a built-in database making sure everything is correctly identified
- The folders would also come with a special seal to indicate the documents’ top-level sensitivity
- The DoD would be in full control of the labelling process, able to ensure documents are securely stored and tracked
The Benefits for National Security
This system would bring major benefits to national security, as it would make it much easier for the DoD to identify and securely store sensitive documents. No longer will there be piles of classified material scattered with no sense of order, ensuring that those materials will remain safe and secure.
In the wake of a 2014 data breach of sensitive government documents, the U.S. Congress is taking action to ensure better protection of classified documents. This effort has recently been revived by the House Oversight Committee, which has introduced a package of reforms aimed at modernizing and improving the classification and handling of sensitive documents.
The main component of the proposed plan, known as the Lo-Fi Security System, is an online portal that would provide secure access to sensitive documents. The system is based on a barcode-based management platform for document authentication. It offers an alternative to the current system, which requires costly and cumbersome physical document storage and sorting.
The Lo-Fi Security System is being developed with the help of companies such as security software developer Microsoft, the Library of Congress, and the National Archives and Records Administration. The system is designed to improve the security of classified information by allowing document reviews to happen electronically, eliminating the need for printing and paper-based files.
The Lo-Fi Security System would also allow different levels of access to documents. Only the most sensitive documents would require physical storage, while the rest could be handled via the online portal. The system would also make it easier to classify documents quickly and accurately.
This new system is far from perfect, and it’s unclear whether it will be enough to prevent future data breaches from occurring. However, the fact that Congress is taking action to address the issue is a positive sign. The Lo-Fi Security System is an important first step in the right direction and should help keep classified information more secure going forward.