Sensitive Compartmented Information

Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) is a type of classified information.

The United States government has three normal levels of classification, confidential, secret, and top secret. Classified information can only be provided to someone with a security clearance the same level as the classification level of the information, and even then, only on a "need-to-know" basis. However, on certain especially secret projects, relevant information can be classified as Sensitive Compartmented Information, requiring a specific security clearance to access that information. For instance, the Atomic Energy Commission provided an SCI clearance in the 1950's to personnel working with nuclear technology.