DoDI 8170.01, “Online Information Management and Electronic Messaging,” January 2,
2019, states, “DoD personnel must not use personal e-mail or other nonofficial accounts to
exchange official information and must not auto-forward official messages to nonofficial accounts
or corporate accounts.” The Instruction also states, “Personal, nonofficial accounts may not be used
to conduct official DoD communications for personal convenience or preferences.” Specifically, the
Instruction states: “DoD personnel may not use personal, nonofficial accounts, to conduct official
DoD communications … .
Exceptions must meet the combined three conditions:
(1) Emergencies and other critical mission needs.
(2) When official communication capabilities are unavailable, impractical, or unreliable.
(3) It is in the interests of DoD or other USG missions.”
On March 18, 2020, the DoD CIO’s Chief of Staff distributed refresher guidance on defending
the DoD information network with “do’s” and “don’ts” to DoD senior officials, including
Mr. Goldstein, for dissemination to their components.
One of the don’ts listed under the cybersecurity guidance on defending the DoD information network was “[Do Not] use any non-DoD
instant messaging applications to share DoD information.”