Which roles are primarily responsible for CUI oversight?

• A. The DoD Chief Information Officer
• B. The CUI Policy Official, CUI Program Manager, and the ISSO, plus component-designated officials
• C. External contractors only
• D. The Secretary of Defense

Answer: (B)

CUI oversight is exercised through a combination of policy, program governance, and on-the-ground implementation. The CUI Policy Official sets the rules for how CUI is designated, marked, safeguarded, shared, and decontrolled, providing the authoritative policy framework. The CUI Program Manager coordinates the overall program across DoD components, ensuring consistent application of requirements, training, labeling, incident reporting, and monitoring. The Information System Security Officer (ISSO) is responsible for the security of systems handling CUI, implementing and maintaining the technical controls and monitoring that protect CUI data in everyday operations. Component-designated officials at each DoD component ensure local adherence to policy and program guidance, tailoring and enforcing requirements within their organizations.

This combination covers policy direction, program-wide governance, technical protection, and component-level accountability, which is why it is the most comprehensive and appropriate set of roles for CUI oversight. The other options miss parts of this governance structure: the DoD CIO provides high-level policy, but oversight isn’t limited to a single role; external contractors aren’t responsible for overarching oversight; and the Secretary of Defense is not involved in day-to-day CUI management.