CNI-Centro Nacional de Inteligencia

National Office of Security

What is Classified Information?

"Classified Information is any information or material determined to require protection against unauthorized disclosure and which has been so designated by security classification with the formalities and requirements envisaged by law”. By information we should understand “any knowledge that may be transmitted, presented or stored in any form".

What is the ONS?

- History:

The National Office of Security (in Spanish Oficina Nacional de Seguridad or ONS) was established in 1983 within the intelligence service as the working body of the CNI Director to assist him in the discharge of his duties related to the protection of Classified Information. The ONS has the function of ensuring the compliance with the rules on protection of both national Classified Information and that information handed over to the civil service or to the companies under the international Treaties or Agreements signed by Spain (article 4 f of the 11/2002 Act of 6 May regulating the CNI).

- Most important missions:

1. To reach Agreements for the protection of Classified Information. Any exchange of Classified Information with a third country or international organization requires the prior existence of a document establishing the essential rules that will regulate such exchange and its applicable procedures. As far as Spain is concerned, these Agreements must be previously authorized by the Spanish Parliament as envisaged by article 94 of the Spanish Constitution.

2. To attend Committees and Working Groups. The ONS represents Spain at international level in many forums, either to analyze or agree on several regulations on the protection of Classified Information (EU, ESA, MISWG, OCCAR, NATO …) or to establish the most appropriate security procedures to be applied in a classified program or contract.

3. To establish relations with other National Security Authorities. Due to the multiple missions the National Security Authority has been entrusted, this Office maintains close relations with other third countries’ National Security Authorities who, as well as the ONS, are in charge of ensuring that foreign classified information handled within their own territory, as well as their national classified information handled abroad, is protected. Likewise, this Office maintains a smooth relation with the Security Offices in charge of ensuring the protection of classified information belonging to several international organizations holding such kind of information.

4. To issue Personal Security Clearances (PSC) (refer to Personnel Security).

5. To issue Facility Security Clearances (FSC) (refer to Industrial Security).

6. To Accredit and to authorise Organizations, Facilities and Systems that deal with Classified Information (refer to Physical Security and CIS Security).