What should be done with documents containing classified information?

Documents containing classified information should be placed in secure locations to ensure their confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Proper storage is essential to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access, espionage, or accidental disclosure. Secure storage may include locked file cabinets, safes, or secure electronic systems designed to safeguard classified materials.

This approach aligns with the principles of information security, emphasizing the need to manage and protect sensitive data properly. Storing classified documents openly or sharing them freely undermines their security and can lead to severe consequences, such as security breaches or legal ramifications. While marking documents for destruction is also a part of managing classified information, it only applies when the documents are no longer needed or their retention period has expired, which does not pertain to the storage of active classified materials.