The level of damage caused by unauthorized disclosure of classified information depends on the classification level of the information. The classification levels are Confidential, Secret, and Top Secret, and they differ from each other by about an order of magnitude (factor of 10) . The amount of damage caused by the disclosure of information is the primary determinant of the classification level assigned to that information, but the imminence of that damage might also be a factor in determining its classification level.
The unauthorized disclosure of Confidential information could reasonably be expected to cause damage to national security. The unauthorized disclosure of Secret information could reasonably be expected to cause serious damage to national security. The unauthorized disclosure of Top Secret information could reasonably be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to national security.
It is important to note that unauthorized disclosure of classified information can happen in various ways, including leaks, spills, espionage, or not following proper safeguarding procedures. Unauthorized disclosure of classified information due to improper safeguarding procedures, although usually unintentional, can be just as damaging to national security as intentional unauthorized disclosures.
