Devon should immediately notify her security Point of Contact (POC) and stop using the email/attachment on the unclassified system.

What the scenario is about

The situation “Devon receives an email on her unclassified computer” with an unmarked attachment that she recognizes as classified information is a standard information‑security training question used in government and contractor environments. The core issue is a potential spillage of classified data onto an unclassified system, which must be treated as a security incident, not just a routine email problem.

Correct action for Devon

When Devon realizes the attachment contains classified information on an unclassified computer, she must:

  • Immediately notify her security POC (security office, facility security officer, or equivalent).
  • Follow local procedures, which typically include not forwarding, copying, or otherwise manipulating the email or attachment further.
  • Cooperate with the security team as they document and remediate the spillage.

Training explanations for this exact question consistently identify “Immediately notify her security POC” as the correct answer.

Why the other options are wrong

Common multiple‑choice options in this scenario include:

  • Delete the e‑mail
    • Deleting alone does not resolve the security breach or allow an investigation of how the classified information reached an unclassified system.
  • Forward the e‑mail to her information technology POC
    • Forwarding spreads the classified material further on unclassified systems, increasing the extent of the spillage.
  • Ask a colleague to verify that the information is classified
    • Involving another person risks additional unauthorized disclosure, especially if the colleague is not cleared for that information or not in a need‑to‑know role.

These explanations all reinforce that only contacting the security POC immediately both stops further spread and triggers proper classification‑spillage handling.

Mini “Quick Scoop” angle

In recent years, security and cyber‑awareness training has increasingly used short scenario questions like “Devon receives an email on her unclassified computer” as quick‑hit reminders about insider‑threat and spillage response. The key takeaway those materials emphasize is that recognizing and reporting possible classified spills promptly is more important than trying to “quietly fix” them alone.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.