What is the classification level of SCI communications?

The classification level of Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) communications is indeed Top Secret. SCI pertains to specific intelligence information and the processes that are conducted to gather and protect it. Due to the highly sensitive nature of this information, it is designated as Top Secret to ensure that only individuals with the requisite clearance, who have a need to know, can access it.

Top Secret classification is reserved for information that could cause exceptionally grave damage to national security if disclosed without authorization. This is a higher level than Confidential and Secret classifications, which are used for information that could cause varying degrees of damage to national security but do not reach the severe level that justifies Top Secret status. Thus, the security measures and protocols for handling SCI communications are among the most stringent in the intelligence community, reflecting the critical nature of the information involved.