Which describes an Executive agency in the context of handling classified information?

• A. A private company
• B. A state government agency
• C. An entity within the Executive Branch that handles classified information
• D. A nonprofit organization

Answer: (C)

Handling classified information is managed by government entities that operate within the President’s Executive Branch, and an Executive agency is precisely that kind of organization. These agencies are authorized to create and enforce policies for classification, determine who can access sensitive material, and ensure proper marking, storage, transmission, and destruction of classified information. They run security programs, require appropriate security clearances for personnel, and operate under federal laws and executive orders that govern how secrets are handled.

Private companies or nonprofit organizations don’t have the authority to handle federal classified information in an official capacity, and a state government agency sits at the state level rather than within the federal Executive Branch. So, the option describing an entity within the Executive Branch that handles classified information best captures the role and authority involved.