(DoD) A criterion used in security procedures that requires the custodians of classified information to establish, prior to disclosure, that the intended recipient must have access to the information to perform his or her official duties.
Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. 31 January 2011.
| APA | Military Dictionary (DoD). (2011). need to know. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/need_to_know/definitions/1962995 |
| Chicago | Military Dictionary (DoD). 2011. "need to know" http://smartdefine.org/need_to_know/definitions/1962995 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | Military Dictionary (DoD) 2011, need to know, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/need_to_know/definitions/1962995>. |
| MLA | Military Dictionary (DoD). "need to know" 4 April 2011. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/need_to_know/definitions/1962995> |