FAR and DFARS › DFARS Part 204: Administrative and Information Matters › Subpart 204.73
DFARS 204.7301 Definitions.
The codified text (eCFR, as of 2026-10-02). Under the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul ↗, agencies follow class deviations with new text for many parts while the formal rules go through the Federal Register: check the solicitation and your contract's clauses, which rule.
In plain English
This section defines key terms used in the DFARS subpart on safeguarding covered defense information. It explains what counts as adequate security, covered defense information, covered contractor information system, and other related terms. Contractors need to understand these definitions because they determine which information must be protected and what security measures are required.
Applies to: Contractors handling covered defense information
Key terms: Adequate security · Covered defense information · Covered contractor information system · Controlled technical information · Rapidly report
Written by AI from this section's text. A guide, not legal advice: the text below rules.
The text
As used in this subpart—
Adequate security means protective measures that are commensurate with the consequences and probability of loss, misuse, or unauthorized access to, or modification of information.
Contractor attributional/proprietary information means information that identifies the contractor(s), whether directly or indirectly, by the grouping of information that can be traced back to the contractor(s) (e.g., program description, facility locations), personally identifiable information, as well as trade secrets, commercial or financial information, or other commercially sensitive information that is not customarily shared outside of the company.
Controlled technical information means technical information with military or space application that is subject to controls on the access, use, reproduction, modification, performance, display, release, disclosure, or dissemination. Controlled technical information would meet the criteria, if disseminated, for distribution statements B through F using the criteria set forth in DoD Instruction 5230.24, Distribution Statements on Technical Documents. The term does not include information that is lawfully publicly available without restrictions.
Covered contractor information system means an unclassified information system that is owned, or operated by or for, a contractor and that processes, stores, or transmits covered defense information.
Covered defense information means unclassified controlled technical information or other information (as described in the Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Registry at http://www.archives.gov/cui/registry/category-list.html) that requires safeguarding or dissemination controls pursuant to and consistent with law, regulations, and Governmentwide policies, and is—
(1) Marked or otherwise identified in the contract, task order, or delivery order and provided to the contractor by or on behalf of DoD in support of the performance of the contract; or
(2) Collected, developed, received, transmitted, used, or stored by or on behalf of the contractor in support of the performance of the contract.
Information system means a discrete set of information resources organized for the collection, processing, maintenance, use, sharing, dissemination, or disposition of information.
Media means physical devices or writing surfaces including, but not limited to, magnetic tapes, optical disks, magnetic disks, large-scale integration memory chips, and printouts onto which covered defense information is recorded, stored, or printed within a covered contractor information system.
Rapidly report means within 72 hours of discovery of any cyber incident.
Technical information means technical data or computer software, as those terms are defined in the clause at DFARS 252.227-7013, Rights in Technical Data—Other Than Commercial Products and Commercial Services, regardless of whether or not the clause is incorporated in the solicitation or contract. Examples of technical information include research and engineering data, engineering drawings, and associated lists, specifications, standards, process sheets, manuals, technical reports, technical orders, catalog-item identifications, data sets, studies and analyses and related information, and computer software executable code and source code.
Sections it refers to
- 252.227-7013 Rights in Technical Data—Other Than Commercial Products and Commercial Services.
← 204.7300 Scope. · 204.7302 Policy. →
Rule changes for DFARS Part 204
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Assessing Contractor Implementation of Cybersecurity Requirements (DFARS Case 2019-D041) ↗ · final rule 2025-09-10 · effective 2025-11-10
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Inapplicability of Additional Defense-Unique Laws and Certain Non-Statutory DFARS Clauses to Commercial Item Contracts (DFARS Case 2018-D074) ↗ · final rule 2024-11-15 · effective 2024-11-25
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Technical Amendments ↗ · final rule 2024-09-26 · effective 2024-10-01
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Data Universal Numbering System to Unique Entity Identifier Transition (DFARS Case 2022-D023) ↗ · final rule 2024-09-26 · effective 2024-10-01
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Modification of Notification of Intent To Transport Supplies by Sea (DFARS Case 2020-D026) ↗ · final rule 2024-09-26 · effective 2024-10-01
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Assessing Contractor Implementation of Cybersecurity Requirements (DFARS Case 2019-D041) ↗ · proposed 2024-08-15 · comments due 2024-10-15
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Technical Amendments ↗ · final rule 2024-07-29 · effective 2024-07-29
- Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Modification of Notification of Intent To Transport Supplies by Sea (DFARS Case 2020-D026) ↗ · proposed 2024-03-26 · comments due 2024-05-28
Source: eCFR, 48 CFR chapters 1 and 2 (GPO GovInfo bulk data) ↗. Plain words for the terms: glossary.