Security clearance or security verification was a level of authority given to an officer based on rank, status, and position. Computers then identified the individuals by the entry of their vocal or numerical authorization code. Alternatively, specially programmed isolinear rods entered into the computer could also allow various levels of security clearance. (DS9: "Babel", "The Passenger", "Vortex")
When Lieutenant Malcolm Reed stated to the Andorian Lieutenant Talas that he "wouldn't trust his own mother" with Enterprise NX-01's weapons frequencies, Talas found it an odd expression, as Talas' mother's security clearance was higher than hers. (ENT: "Proving Ground")
If an officer felt that they could no longer be trusted with clearance, it was possible for them to delete their own clearance, as demonstrated by Lieutenant Tuvok when he was destabilized by a mind meld with Crewman Lon Suder. (VOY: "Meld")
Kellin had a security clearance that was considered high among her people, the Ramurans, and thus had enough knowledge that she knew how to program a vessel to detect Ramuran vessels. (VOY: "Unforgettable")
Clearance level accessibility[]
- pah doQ cha
- High level Klingon security clearance. Ambassador K'Ehleyr possessed pah doQ cha clearance and attempted to use it to gain access to High Council files on the Khitomer Massacre from the Klingon Imperial information net. Her access was denied because the files had been restricted to du-ko-cha clearance or higher. (TNG: "Reunion")
- Du-ko-cha
- High level clearance used by members of the Klingon High Council. Duras had restricted the files on the Khitomer Massacre to du-ko-cha clearance or higher. (TNG: "Reunion")
- Alpha Red priority
- When combined with clearance verification 9218-Black, it was an order from Cardassian Central Command to delete all records of the encounter from the logs and remain silent. (DS9: "Second Skin")
- Level 1
- Allowed access to stations personnel and official logs. (DS9: "Whispers")
- Allowed access to weapons lockers for Starfleet personnel. (DS9: "Tribunal")
- Level 3 (and above)
- Required to access classified information regarding the USS Voyager following its disappearance in the Badlands in 2371. (VOY: "Non Sequitur")
- Level 4 (and above)
- Allowed access to Deep Space 9's ship-departure logs. (DS9: "Vortex")
- Level required to access tactical data, including multi-vector assault mode, on the USS Prometheus. This level was also required to access ship's communications aboard the Prometheus. (VOY: "Message in a Bottle")
- Required access level for a Starfleet Intelligence officer. (DS9: "Soldiers of the Empire")
- Level 4 Alpha
- Required access level for access to an alien starship's black box on the Enterprise NX-01. (ENT: "Affliction")
- Level 5 (and above)
- Required access to show the station layout of DS9, while highlighting all repaired replicators on the command level. (DS9: "Babel")
- Level 6 (and above)
- Access Deck 12, section 42 of Voyager around 2376 was off-limits to everyone except senior officers with this clearance or above. It was here where an electromagnetic lifeform was living in an artificial environment until a new class J nebula could be found for it to reside. (VOY: "The Haunting of Deck Twelve")
- Level 7 (and above)
- Allowed access to weapons lockers for non-station operations personnel. (DS9: "Captive Pursuit")
- In 2372, information about the Cardassian Union's granted request for replicators from the Federation Council and their transport to Cardassian planets was considered only for officers of this clearance level and above. (DS9: "For the Cause")
- Level 9
- Required to override a Cardassian counter-insurgency program initiated during a Bajoran revolt. (DS9: "Civil Defense")
- Level 10
- This security level was for information labeled as for captain's eyes only. (VOY: "The Haunting of Deck Twelve")
- Required to access the Omega One data file, which contained information on the Omega Directive. (VOY: "The Omega Directive")
- Priority 3
- Required to release information on a starship's defense and navigational systems. (TNG: "Data's Day")
- Sigma 9
- Required to release specific classified documents on the morphogenic virus from Starfleet Medical. (DS9: "When It Rains...")
Personal clearance levels[]
- Alpha 1
- Alpha 2
- Jean-Luc Picard (TNG: "Brothers")
- Level 1
- Miles O'Brien (DS9: "Whispers", "Tribunal")
- Level 3
- Wesley Crusher: access to the Custodian on Aldea. (TNG: "When The Bough Breaks")
- Harry Kim (at least) (VOY: "Non Sequitur")
- Level 4
- Julian Bashir (at least)
- Jadzia Dax (at least)
- Worf (at least) (DS9: "Soldiers of the Empire")
- Level 4 Alpha
- Level 6
- Odo (DS9: "Civil Defense")
- Level 7
- Quark (acquired/stolen) (DS9: "Civil Defense")
- Michael Eddington
- Jadzia Dax
- Kira Nerys
- Odo
- Benjamin Sisko
- Worf (DS9: "For the Cause")
- Level 9
- S.G. Dukat (DS9: "Civil Defense")
- Kathryn Janeway (VOY: "Equinox, Part II")
- Level 10
- Level Red
- Voje (VOY: "Critical Care")
- Priority 3
- Data (TNG: "Data's Day")
- Sigma 9