Introduction:
In the world of cybersecurity, it is essential to maintain the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive information. A.8.2.1 of the ISO/IEC 27001 standard requires organizations to review policies, standards, procedures, guidelines, and associated records relating to information classification.
This article explores the importance of information classification, the aspects that should be called out in policies and procedures, and the corresponding security requirements for handling sensitive materials.
Sample Checklist:
- Review policies, standards, procedures, guidelines, and associated records relating to information classification.
- Determine if the classification is driven by government or defense obligations or based on confidentiality, integrity, and/or availability requirements.
- Ensure that policies/procedures call out the method of labeling, transfer, storage, handling removable media, disposal of electronic and physical media, disclosure, sharing, exchanging with third parties, etc.
- Ensure that appropriate markings are used on assets based on the classification of the information they contain.
- Determine if classification is needed for documents, forms, reports, screens, backup media, emails, file transfers, etc.
- Ensure that staff are made aware of the corresponding security requirements for handling sensitive materials, such as not generating, processing, or storing data classified as ‘secret’ on any system connected to the main corporate LAN/WAN or Internet.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, effective information classification is crucial to maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive information.
It is essential to review policies, standards, procedures, guidelines, and associated records regularly and ensure that they call out the appropriate aspects of information classification, including labeling, transfer, storage, handling removable media, disposal of electronic and physical media, disclosure, sharing, exchanging with third parties, and so on.
Organizations should also ensure that appropriate markings are used on assets based on the classification of the information they contain, and staff must be made aware of the corresponding security requirements for handling sensitive materials.
