security clearances
Vetted trust levels
Security clearances are official authorizations allowing individuals access to classified information.
Governments grant clearances at different levels—confidential, secret, top secret—based on background investigations that examine criminal history, financial records, and foreign contacts.
She needed a security clearance to work on the defense contract.
Clearances can be revoked if circumstances change.
- classifiedRestricted from disclosure
- classified informationSensitive, access-restricted material
- top secretHighest classification level
- confidentialMeant to stay secret
- top-secretMaximum security clearance level
vetted · background investigation · FBI · Pentagon · intelligence · redacted · need-to-know · compartmentalized · badge · access · espionage · briefing · debriefing · sworn · oath · polygraph · fingerprints · investigation
- securityalarm system, lock, safe, alarm, camera
- HRhiring, human resources, recruiting, HR, onboarding
- intelligence oversightCIA, FBI, NSA, DNI, intelligence agencies
- Secret Servicespecial agent, bodyguard, special agents, agent, federal agent
- security lawssedition laws, secrecy laws, FISA, mass surveillance
- Cold War lawsHUAC, McCarthy hearings, blacklisting, blacklists, loyalty oaths
security clearancespublic access
Unrestricted community availability
public knowledge · public domain · freedom of information · transparency · public disclosure
security, clearance, secure, securely, insecure, insecurity, securities, securing, secured