Chief Information Officer
IC Technical Specifications
XML Data Encoding Specification for Trusted Data Format
Overview
This XML Data Encoding Specification for Trusted Data Format (IC-TDF.XML) defines detailed implementation guidance for using Extensible Markup Language (XML) to encode IC-TDF data.
Information sharing within the national intelligence enterprise will increasingly rely on information assurance metadata (including enterprise data headers) to allow interagency access control, automated exchanges, and appropriate protection of shared intelligence. A structured, verifiable representation of security metadata bound to the intelligence data is required in order for the enterprise to become inherently "smarter" about the information flowing in and around it. Such a representation, when implemented with other data formats, improved user interfaces, and data processing utilities, can provide part of a larger, robust information assurance infrastructure capable of automating some of the management and exchange decisions today being performed by human beings.
The Intelligence Community (IC) has standardized the various classification and control markings established for information sharing within the Information Security Markings (ISM), Information Resource Metadata (IRM), and Enterprise Data Header (EDH) XML specifications of the Intelligence Community Enterprise Architecture (ICEA) Data Standards. The IC Trusted Data Format XML specification further expands on this body of work, adapting and extending it as necessary for TDF to function as the IC submission format for binding assertion metadata with data resource(s). This TDF functionality supports the IC way ahead strategy of implementing secure cloud-based information exchange and discovery on the IC Enterprise
This specification applies to the IC, as defined by the National Security Act of 1947, as amended; and such other elements of any other department or agency as may be designated by the President or designated jointly by the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) and the head of the department or agency concerned, as an element of the IC. Joint and Coalition forces may use this specification, but it is not required.
This specification is maintained by the IC Chief Information Officer via the Data Standards Coordination Activity (DSCA) and Common Metadata Standards Tiger Team (CMSTT).
Technical Specification Downloads
Latest Approved Public Release:
- XML Data Encoding Specification for Trusted Data Format (V2021-NOV - Standalone Package)
- XML Data Encoding Specification for Trusted Data Format (V2021-NOV - Convenience Package)
- XML Data Encoding Specification for Trusted Data Format (V2021-NOV - Light Package)
Mission Requirements
Information sharing within the national intelligence enterprise will increasingly rely on information assurance metadata (including enterprise data headers) to allow interagency access control, automated exchanges, and appropriate protection of shared intelligence. A structured, verifiable representation of security metadata bound to the intelligence data is required in order for the enterprise to become inherently "smarter" about the information flowing in and around it. Such a representation, when implemented with other data formats, improved user interfaces, and data processing utilities, can provide part of a larger, robust information assurance infrastructure capable of automating some of the management and exchange decisions today being performed by human beings.
The Intelligence Community (IC) has standardized the various classification and control markings established for information sharing within the Information Security Markings (ISM), Information Resource Metadata (IRM), and Enterprise Data Header (EDH) XML specifications. The IC Trusted Data Format XML specification further expands on this body of work, adapting and extending it as necessary for TDF to function as the IC submission format for binding assertion metadata with data resource(s). This TDF functionality supports the IC way ahead strategy of implementing secure cloud-based information exchange and discovery on the IC Enterprise.