Limited Controls for Sharing Information in CUI Registry
Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) is a category of sensitive but unclassified data that requires strict access and handling controls. One of the key mechanisms for regulating CUI dissemination is through the use of Limited Dissemination Controls (LDCs).
According to the guidelines set out in 32 CFR 2002.16, LDCs are specific markings or handling instructions applied to CUI to restrict its dissemination beyond standard CUI protections. These controls are designed to ensure that access to sensitive but unclassified information is strictly limited to authorized individuals.
Types of Limited Dissemination Controls
The main types of LDCs outlined in 32 CFR 2002.16 include:
- For Official Use Only (FOUO): Although this term was used in legacy systems prior to CUI, the new standards subsumed similar controls into standardized CUI markings with dissemination controls. Historically, FOUO represented information that required restrictions on release but was not classified.
- CUI//SP- (Specified Control Markings): These are additional control markings applied as subcategories under the broader CUI marking to indicate specific handling or dissemination restrictions. Common LDC types include:
- CUI//SP-ACQ (Acquisition Sensitive): Information related to acquisition processes that, if prematurely or improperly disseminated, could compromise procurement integrity or fair competition.
- CUI//SP-ORG (Organizational Unit): Information limited to a particular organizational unit within an agency.
- CUI//SP-PRVCY (Privacy): Information containing personally identifiable information or other privacy-related data requiring strict sharing controls.
- CUI//SP-LIMDIS (Limited Dissemination): Used to explicitly denote that dissemination of the information is limited to a defined group of individuals or entities.
- CUI//SP-FGI (Federal Government Information): Used to limit dissemination to federal government recipients only.
- Other Specific Dissemination Controls may be described or implemented by agencies based on their mission and authority, but all must comply with the baseline CUI guidance and be approved within the CUI Registry framework.
Applying Limited Dissemination Controls
Only the designating agency may apply limited dissemination controls to CUI. Authorized holders may apply them with the approval of the designating agency. Agencies may limit disseminating CUI beyond a lawful Government purpose using the listed limited dissemination controls or methods authorized by a CUI Specified authority.
Authorized holders of CUI must follow all limited dissemination control markings on the information. Limited Dissemination Control "DL ONLY" authorizes dissemination only to those individuals, organizations, or entities included on an accompanying dissemination list, marked as DL ONLY. Limited Dissemination Control "FEDCON" authorizes dissemination to federal employees, armed forces personnel, and contractors who work under contract with the United States, marked as FEDCON.
Each agency's CUI policy governs specific criteria for the application of limited dissemination controls and control markings, aligning with 32 CFR 2002.
For a comprehensive list of all authorized LDCs, refer to the official CUI Registry maintained by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The CUI Registry provides the authoritative and detailed list of all CUI categories, subcategories, and dissemination controls.
Businesses and politicians closely monitor policy-and-legislation related to finance, as Limited Dissemination Controls (LDCs) - such as For Official Use Only (FOUO), CUI//SP-ACQ, CUI//SP-ORG, CUI//SP-PRVCY, CUI//SP-LIMDIS, CUI//SP-FGI, and other Specific Dissemination Controls - aid in restricted dissemination of sensitive but unclassified information, particularly in general-news regarding acquisition processes, organizational units, privacy, defined groups, federal government, and agency-specific controls, thus ensuring the integrity of financial business practices. It is essential for authorized holders of such information to adhere to all LDC markings, as they dictate specific dissemination protocols, in accordance with the guidelines established by an agency's CUI policy.
