The Department of Defense Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) program is implemented by DoD Instruction 5200.48, “Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)”.

Quick Scoop: Core Answer

  • The instruction that implements the DoD CUI program is DoDI 5200.48.
  • It establishes policy, roles, and requirements for identifying, marking, safeguarding, disseminating, and decontrolling CUI across the Department of Defense.

In other words, when someone asks “what DoD instruction implements the DoD CUI program?”, the standard textbook-style answer is: DoD Instruction 5200.48.

What DoDI 5200.48 Actually Does

  • Defines what counts as Controlled Unclassified Information in the DoD context and ties it to the broader federal CUI framework.
  • Assigns responsibilities to DoD Components to ensure CUI is properly identified, marked, handled, and protected.
  • Requires training and awareness so personnel and contractors understand how to manage CUI.
  • Supports and fits under the broader DoD Information Security Program , which is covered by DoDI 5200.01.

A simple example: if a contractor receives a technical report marked as CUI, the handling, storage, and sharing rules they must follow are governed by DoDI 5200.48.

Related DoD Policy Context

While DoDI 5200.48 is the key implementation instruction for the DoD CUI program , it operates alongside other issuances:

  • DoDI 5200.01 – DoD Information Security Program and Protection of Sensitive Compartmented Information : sets overarching information security policy, including CUI references.
  • Higher-level directives and manuals give additional detail on security training, classification, and integration with other security requirements.

These documents together make sure CUI is not treated in isolation but as part of a larger, consistent DoD security ecosystem.

Mini FAQ

Q: Is there more than one instruction “implementing” CUI?

  • The central, named implementing issuance for the DoD CUI program itself is DoDI 5200.48.
  • Other instructions (like 5200.01) reference CUI and support training and broader security program requirements, but they are not the primary CUI program implementation document.

Q: Has DoDI 5200.48 been updated recently?

  • Public commentary notes updates around 2025 to improve CUI categorization and marking processes and streamline release once personnel are trained.

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