What designation is assigned to information that could cause identifiable damage to national security?

The designation assigned to information that could cause identifiable damage to national security is "Secret," not "Confidential." The classification levels are intended to protect sensitive information based on the degree of damage its unauthorized disclosure could cause.

The "Secret" classification indicates that the release of this information could cause serious damage to national security. This places it above "Confidential," which refers to information that could cause damage but does not reach the threshold of seriousness found at the Secret level.

"Top Secret" is the highest classification level and is reserved for information that could cause exceptionally grave damage to national security if disclosed. "Unclassified" pertains to information that does not require protection and is not sensitive in nature. Thus, it’s important to understand the distinctions between these classifications to accurately identify what level of harm their disclosure could entail.