Data classification is the process by which data is evaluated for its risk and sensitivity and then assigned a label which determines the level of security that will be used to protect that data. Simply put, less sensitive data is protected at a lower level and more sensitive data is protected at a higher level. There are two different classifications schemes in general use, one scheme is used in government and military settings and the other in commercial, private sector settings. Show Data classification is an important component of an effective security program, giving organizations a mechanism to appropriately direct the effort, money and resources required to protect data. If you are preparing for the CISSP, Security+, CySA+, or another security certification exam, you will need to have an understanding of why and how data is classified. You should make sure you know the five levels of government/military classification and the four levels of commercial, private sector classification. Benefits of ClassificationHaving a data classification scheme in place provides necessary structure to the protection of an organization’s data. It provides guidance for identifying which assets are most critical or valuable to the organization and helps to define access levels and permissible use. A complete system also provides guidance for data lifecycle management and includes parameters for the declassification and/or destruction of resources that are no longer valuable. With few exceptions, most organizations have data that varies in its sensitivity. A single private sector IT system, for example, might house everything from benign marketing flyers and cafeteria menus to personally identifiable employee payroll data and proprietary strategic planning documents. While it might be tempting to secure all systems at the highest level to avoid any accidental release of sensitive data, there are a number of factors that make such a broad-brush approach not only impractical, but actually detrimental to the organization. More rigorous security controls tend to be more expensive, so providing high security to items which are not sensitive wastes resources that would be better applied to the more sensitive data. Also, keeping data secure involves putting restrictions on how that data is accessed. Securing data at too high a level places an unnecessary burden on the organization, making it more difficult and time consuming for employees to do their jobs. In addition to providing structure to data security, data classification provides important signals to an organization and its employees. By labeling data as sensitive and needing protection, all employees will be aware that steps need to be taken to prevent its release. If no classification system were in place, employees would need to evaluate each item individually every time it is accessed. Not only would such a system be inefficient, the risk of mishandling sensitive data would be unacceptably high. U.S. Government Classification SystemThe United States government classification system is established under executive order and federal regulations which describe the classification, declassification, and handling of national security information generated by the U.S. government and contractors. Improper handling of classified data can have severe legal consequences. There are five levels of classification used by the United States government and military, as shown below: Let’s dive into the definitions of each of these classification levels:
Corporate Classification SystemsThere is no single classification system in use by private sector entities. For security certification exam preparation you will want to focus on four designations commonly used in businesses and other private sector organizations:
Understanding data classification is an important component of your preparation for a variety of security certification programs. If you’re interested in earning your next security certification, sign up for the free CertMike study groups for the CISSP, Security+, SSCP, or CySA+ exam. What are the 4 levels that US military uses to classify information?Proper rules stipulate that every paragraph will bear a classification marking of (U) for Unclassified, (C) for Confidential, (S) for Secret, and (TS) for Top Secret.
What are the 4 data classification levels?Typically, there are four classifications for data: public, internal-only, confidential, and restricted.
What is the lowest level of data classification?Public: Public is the lowest level of classification. It is used for data which is intended for public disclosure, such as marketing materials or a company website.
What are the 3 levels of classified information?(S) There are three levels of classification – TOP SECRET, SECRET, and CONFIDENTIAL. (S) There are two ways to classify a document – ORIGINAL CLASSIFICATION or DERIVATIVE CLASSIFICATION.
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