Chief Information Officer
IC Technical Specifications
XML Data Encoding Specification for Intelligence Community Enterprise Data Header
Overview
This XML Data Encoding Specification for Enterprise Data Header (EDH.XML) defines detailed implementation guidance for using Extensible Markup Language (XML) to encode EDH data. This Data Encoding Specification (DES) defines the XML elements and attributes, associated structures and relationships, mandatory and cardinality requirements, and permissible values for representing enterprise data header data concepts using XML.
This specification is applicable to the Intelligence Community (IC) and information produced by, stored, or shared within the IC. This DES may have relevance outside the scope of intelligence; however, prior to applying outside of this defined scope, the DES should be closely scrutinized and differences separately documented and assessed for applicability.
This specification applies to the IC, as defined by the National Security Act of 1947, as amended; and such other elements of any other department or agency as may be designated by the President or designated jointly by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the head of the department or agency concerned, as an element of the IC. Joint and Coalition forces may use this specification, but it is not required.
Compliance with this specification is measured against all aspects of the technical and documentary artifacts contained within the specification release package.
This specification is maintained by the IC Chief Information Officer via the Data Standards Coordination Activity (DSCA) and Common Metadata Standards Tiger Team (CMSTT).
Technical Specification Downloads
Latest Approved Public Release:
- XML Data Encoding Specification for Intelligence Community Enterprise Data Header (V2019-MAR - Standalone Package)
- XML Data Encoding Specification for Intelligence Community Enterprise Data Header (V2019-MAR - Convenience Package)
- XML Data Encoding Specification for Intelligence Community Enterprise Data Header (V2019-MAR - Light Package)
Mission Requirements
Information sharing within the national intelligence enterprise will increasingly rely on information assurance metadata (including enterprise data headers) to allow interagency access control, automated exchanges, and appropriate protection of shared intelligence. A structured, verifiable representation of security metadata bound to the intelligence data is required in order for the enterprise to become inherently "smarter" about the information flowing in and around it. Such a representation, when implemented with other data formats, improved user interfaces, and data processing utilities, can provide part of a larger, robust information assurance infrastructure capable of automating some of the management and exchange decisions today being performed by human beings.
The Intelligence Community (IC) has standardized the various classification and control markings established for information sharing within the Information Security Markings (ISM) specification. The IC Enterprise Data Header XML specification further expands on this body of work, adapting and extending it as necessary to meet mission-unique needs. By specifying a data object's header information required for exchange on the IC Enterprise, EDH ensures a secure method of information sharing and discovery, supporting use cases such as the IC Cloud.
Chief Information Officer
IC Technical Specifications
XML Data Encoding Specification for Body Of Evidence
Overview
This XML Data Encoding Specification for Body of Evidence (BOE.XML) defines detailed implementation guidance for the XML-encoding of elements to convey a system's body of evidence, where body of evidence is the set of data that documents the information system’s adherence to the security controls applied as defined in National Information Assurance (IA) Glossary (CNSSI 4009).
This specification is intended to provide the data fields necessary to capture and convey the relevant information that would be used to facilitate the acceptance and reciprocity of established systems and their security authorizations. To facilitate this exchange, this specification has been closely aligned with Risk Management Framework Documentation, Data Element Standards, and Reciprocity Process for National Security Systems (CNSSI 1254), associated policies, and the concepts and terminology within. It seeks to encourage an exchange of CNSSI compliant system security information and authorization to promote reciprocity between agencies/organizations in XML.
This specification is maintained by the IC Chief Information Officer via the Data Standards Coordination Activity (DSCA) and Common Metadata Standards Tiger Team (CMSTT).
Technical Specification Downloads
Latest Approved Public Release:
- XML Data Encoding Specifications for Body of Evidence (V2018-APR - Standalone Package)
- XML Data Encoding Specifications for Body of Evidence (V2018-APR - Convenience Package)
- XML Data Encoding Specifications for Body of Evidence (V2018-APR - Light Package)
Mission Requirements
Information sharing with the national intelligence enterprise is increasingly dependent on the exchange of information about an exchange format. Systems, users, and developers all need a more consistent machine processable format for exchanging information describing data. This specification is a reaction to that need.
Chief Information Officer
IC Technical Specifications
Intelligence Community Only Need-To-Know
Overview
This XML Data Encoding Specification for Intelligence Community Only Need-To-Know Profile (ICO-NTK.XML) provides detailed implementation guidance to limit dissemination of appropriately tagged information solely to members of the Intelligence Community (IC). Certain information is only permitted to be disseminated to and accessed by members of the IC. This profile defines a specification that uses NTK for conveying the requirement to limit dissemination.
This is the first release of the specification and therefore provides no backward capability.
Compliance with this specification is measured against all aspects of the technical and documentary artifacts contained within the specification release package.
The IC Chief Information Officer maintains this specification via the Data Coordination Activity (DCA) and Common Metadata Standards Tiger Team (CMSTT).
Technical Specification Downloads
Latest Approved Public Release:
- Intelligence Community Only Need-To-Know Profile (V10 – Standalone Package (Release Date: 18 Oct 2013))
- Intelligence Community Only Need-To-Know Profile (V10 – Light Package (Release Date: 18 Oct 2013))
Mission Requirements
This specification is designed to fulfill a number of requirements in support of the transformational efforts of the Intelligence Community. Many of these requirements are articulated in IC Directives.
This specification includes design features that address:
- Defines the use of elements and attributes from NTK, associated structures, relationships, requirements, cardinality, and permissible values for representing ICO-NTK data concepts using XML.
- Defines how information is disseminated to and accessed by members of the IC.
- Discusses relationship between ICO-ACES and ADD re mapping
Chief Information Officer
IC Technical Specifications
Revision Recall
Overview
This IC enterprise data encoding specification defines detailed implementation guidance for using XML to encode RevRecall data. It defines the XML elements and attributes, associated structures and relationships, mandatory and cardinality requirements, permissible values, and constraint rules for representing RevRecall data concepts using XML.
This standard supports Executive Order (EO) 13526, Classified National Security Information which "prescribes a uniform system for classifying, safeguarding, and declassifying national security information," across national security disciplines, networks, services, and data.
Compliance with this specification is measured against all aspects of the technical and documentary artifacts contained within the specification release package.
The IC Chief Information Officer maintains this specification via the Data Coordination Activity (DCA) and Common Metadata Standards Tiger Team (CMSTT).
Technical Specification Downloads
Latest Approved Public Release:
- XML Data Encoding Specification for Revision Recall (V2021-NOVr2022-MAY - Standalone Package)
- XML Data Encoding Specification for Revision Recall (V2021-NOVr2022-MAY - Convenience Package)
- XML Data Encoding Specification for Revision Recall (V2021-NOVr2022-MAY - Light Package)
Mission Requirements
This specification expresses information related to the revision and recall of intelligence products. This information allows recipients to be aware of revisions and recalls and to take necessary actions in regards to previous versions.
This specification is intended to meet the requirements put forth in the Memorandum for Distribution signed by Negroponte on August 5, 2005. This includes declaring the title or subject of the intelligence product being revised or recalled, type of revision or recall, the date the revision or recall was issued, the reason for its issuance, and any required actions to be taken as a result of its issuance.
Chief Information Officer
IC Technical Specifications
Web Service Security
Overview
The High Level Guidance for Web Service Security (WSS-HLG) provides guidance to solutions architects and developers on how to consistently approach circumstances for which security solutions are required. This document focuses on security fundamentals essential to designing and building secure solutions that involve web services focusing on approaches for access control, use of assertions, security markings, confidentiality, integrity, and non-repudiation. The WSS-HLG provides solution approaches at a high level, intended to provide an understanding of information security fundamentals essential to such solutions, for the purpose of building both secure and interoperable approaches that are consistent across the IC.
The High Level Guidance for Web Service Security (WSS-HLG) provides important guidance for building and integrating with web services solutions in an interoperable, secure, and consistent manner. As there is a great number of standards, technical mechanisms, and capabilities that can be used for building web services security solutions, it is important that solutions architects understand the tradeoffs, risks, and benefits of approaches. It is critical, from a security and interoperability perspective, that security mechanisms are applied in a consistent manner, and this document provides needed guidance in the areas of access control, assertion passing, security markings, confidentiality, integrity, and non-repudiation.
The intended audience of this information guidance document is project managers, software architects, network architects, and developers who develop and integrate with web services. This document provides guidance in areas that will be important in satisfying security requirements and information security goals in a secure and interoperable manner.
Technical Specification Downloads
Latest Approved Public Release: