What happens to information marked as "Confidential" if it is disclosed?

Information marked as "Confidential" is designated to protect national security interests. If such information is disclosed, it has the potential to cause damage to national security. This classification indicates that unauthorized disclosure could harm the United States’ ability to protect its security and interests. The classification system is specifically designed to safeguard sensitive information, and breaching this confidentiality can undermine operational effectiveness, reveal capabilities or weaknesses, and expose personnel or assets to risk.

The option regarding it being automatically considered a crime lacks nuance; not all disclosures may lead to criminal charges, as motivations and circumstances vary. The idea that disclosed confidential information remains confidential contradicts the principle of classification, which relies on limiting access to protect against unauthorized information sharing. Lastly, while declassification processes do exist, they are not automatic upon disclosure; they depend on specific protocols and review processes. Thus, the correct understanding is that disclosed confidential information can indeed harm national security, affirming the rationale behind its stringent classification.