Security Clearance Levels (2024)

Security clearance levels, or simply clearance levels, are clearances granted to SCP Foundation personnel, intended to grant designated personnel access to normally classified documentation, rooms, and general information. In certain areas, a clearance level may be granted for a specific SCP, such as Level 4/2317. For these exclusive levels, the levels do not grant any higher clearance outside that specific SCP.

An important distinction to make is that having a sufficient clearance level does not mean that any staff member immediately gains access to the information or area that they seek; information is only granted on a need-to-know basis and only by their respective superior's hand.

Rank within the Foundation and clearance levels are two different entities, though they occasionally go hand-in-hand. For example, a private in an MTF may have Level 4 clearance due to having knowledge of code-names, hand-signs, composition, etc. This is so that they may function accordingly in action, rather than be burdened by lack of access to the threat that they're facing.

Level 0[]

Level 0, or Official Use Only, clearance is normally granted to non-essential personnel, such as logistical, administrative, or janitorial positions. However, these personnel are only given this access if they work in a facility that holds little to no anomalous objects or data, otherwise they are granted Level 1. This clearance is also given to allied GoI visitors of SCP Foundation facilities.

This clearance grants the bare minimum of access, with no documentation or sensitive data being granted to this class of personnel. Keycards are not granted to any member possessing this level of clearance.

Level 1[]

Level 1, or Unrestricted (UR),^[1] clearance is granted to non-essential personnel who work in facilities holding anomalous objects or data. Aforementioned positions in Level 0 are granted this level of access if transferred to one of these sites. Class-D personnel must always hold this amount of clearance.

The clearance grants little access, with little to no documentation or sensitive data being granted to this class of personnel. Keycards are granted, with a prominent green color being displayed across the card.

Level 2[]

Level 2, or Restricted (RS),^[1] and formerly known as Confidential^[2], clearance is granted to security and research personnel requiring access to anomalous entities and/or documentation. If an employee has a subordinate under them, then they likely have this clearance

The clearance grants reasonable access, with essential parts of documentation and sensitive data being granted to this class of personnel. Keycards are granted, with a prominent blue color being displayed across the card.

Level 3[]

Level 3, or Confidential (CF),^[1] and formerly known as Restricted^[2], clearance is granted to higher-ranking security and research personnel requiring access to specific data about any anomalous entities and/or documentation, including containment procedures and previous experiments. Senior staff in either of the aforementioned departments typically hold this amount of clearance, as well as MTF operatives.

This clearance grants significant amounts of access, with a large amount of documentation and sensitive data being granted to this class of personnel. Keycards are granted, with a prominent yellow color being displayed across the card.

Level 4[]

Level 4, or Secret (SC),^[1] and formerly known as Top Secret^[2], clearance is granted to staff that require knowledge of sensitive Foundation data or anomalous objects. These renowned individuals are typically high-ranking Foundation staff, such as site directors or security directors. Occasionally, lower ranking staff may have this level of access in accordance with the task at hand.

This clearance grants access to virtually anything that is within the SCP database. Keycards are granted, with an orange color being displayed across the card.

Level 5[]

Level 5, or Top Secret (TS),^[1] and formerly known as Thaumiel^[2], clearance is only granted to staff directly working under the O5 Council and staff that are essential to Foundation operations, as well as Ethics Committee leaders. Level 5 access is very rarely given out, as it grants relatively unlimited access to anything within the Foundation's knowledge.

Due to the extreme security risk of keycards in regard to this level of secrecy, biometric ID and kill agents are used instead of the keycards to access highly sensitive data.

Level 6[]

Level 6, or Cosmic Top Secret (CTS),^[1] clearance is exclusively granted to the Administrator and the O5 Council. This clearance grants knowledge to anything that the Foundation has information on. Access to Level 6 is only permitted by the O5 Council.

Due to the extreme security risk of keycards in regard to this level of secrecy, biometric ID and kill agents are used instead of the keycards to access extremely sensitive data. This clearance is the rarest, only having been used for information that would either significantly damage Foundation operations or the human race if in the wrong hands.

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