To avoid unauthorized disclosure, which of the following is necessary for information to be classified?

For information to be classified and thereby protected from unauthorized disclosure, it must have potential harmful effects on national security. This principle is intrinsic to the classification system, which is designed to safeguard sensitive information that, if disclosed, could jeopardize the safety and security of the nation. The classification process is specifically intended to identify information whose unauthorized release could harm national defense or foreign relations, often categorized under criteria established by federal guidelines.

Options that suggest the information must be organization-specific, owned by a government official, or require universal approval from stakeholders do not accurately reflect the essential requirement for classification. While relevance to organizational interests or ownership might factor into the context of sensitivity, they do not inherently justify classification under national security standards. The core reason for classifying information lies in its potential to cause harm if disclosed, solidifying the significance of option C in relation to the classification process.