5.1 MAKE INFORMATION ASSET OWNERS ACCOUNTABLE

Select an owner for each major information asset.

Make sure that asset owners have been asked to protect their assets.

Make sure that asset owners have been asked to implement controls.

Make sure that asset owners have been asked to maintain controls.

Hold asset owners accountable for the security of information assets.

5.1.1 COMPILE AN INVENTORY OF ALL INFORMATION ASSETS

Identify all of your information assets.

Compile an inventory of all information assets.

Compile an inventory of all databases and date files.

Compile an inventory of all system documentation.

Compile an inventory of all user manuals.

Compile an inventory of all procedures.

Compile an inventory of all training materials.

Compile an inventory of all continuity plans.

Compile an inventory of all fallback plans.

Compile an inventory of all archived information.

Compile an inventory of all software assets.

Compile an inventory of all application software.

Compile an inventory of all system software.

Compile an inventory of all development tools.

Compile an inventory of all the physical
assets that support your information systems.

Compile an inventory of all computer equipment.

Compile an inventory of all processors.

Compile an inventory of all monitors.

Compile an inventory of all laptops.

Compile an inventory of all modems.

Compile an inventory of all routers.

Compile an inventory of all PABXs.

Compile an inventory of all telephones.

Compile an inventory of all fax machines.

Compile an inventory of all answering machines.

Compile an inventory of all magnetic media.

Compile an inventory of all tapes and disks.

Compile an inventory of all power supplies.

Compile an inventory of all air conditioning units.

Compile an inventory of all the services
that support your information systems.

Compile an inventory of all computing services.

Compile an inventory of all communication services.

Compile an inventory of all utility services.

Define levels of protection for your information assets.

Assign a security classification to all information assets.

Classify all information assets according to how
valuable and important they are to your organization.

Make sure that your classification system
shows who owns each information asset.

Make sure that your classification system clearly
shows where each information asset is located.

Make sure that you provide a higher level of protection
for your most valuable and important information assets.

5.2 USE AN INFORMATION CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM

Use a classification system to protect information.

Define a set of security levels for your information.

Make sure that your classification system specifies how information
should be protected and handled at each security level.

5.2.1 DEVELOP INFORMATION CLASSIFICATION GUIDELINES

Develop guidelines for classifying information.

Make sure that your classification guidelines allow you to
re‑classify information when this is found to be necessary.

Make sure that your information classification system
allows you to share information when it should be shared.

Make sure that your information classification system restricts
access to information when it should be restricted.

Give the responsibility for classifying information
to the originator or owner of that information.

Give the responsibility for reviewing your information
classifications to the originator or owner of that information.

Make sure that your personnel understand how
to use your information classification system.

Make sure that you label information according to how valuable it is.

Make sure that you label information according to how sensitive it is.

Make sure that you label information according to how critical it is.

Classify all information according to how critical
or sensitive it is and how much protection it needs.

Make sure that your most critical or sensitive information receives
the highest level of protection and requires special handling.

Apply your classification system to documents.

Apply your classification system to data records.

Apply your classification system to data files.

Apply your classification system to disks.

5.2.2 USE INFORMATION HANDLING AND LABELING PROCEDURES

Develop information handling procedures for
each of your information security classifications.

Develop a copying procedure for each information security classification.

Develop a storage procedure for each information security classification.

Develop a transmission procedure for each security classification.

Develop a snail mail procedure for each security classification.

Develop an email procedure for each security classification.

Develop a fax procedure for each security classification.

Develop a telephone procedure for each security classification.

Develop a mobile phone procedure for each security classification.

Develop a voice mail procedure for each security classification.

Develop an answering machine procedure
for each information security classification.

Develop a face‑to‑face communications procedure
for each information security classification.

Develop an information destruction procedure
for each information security classification.

Develop an output labeling procedures
for each information security classification.

Make sure that your security labeling procedures expect
you to label information according to how valuable it is.

Make sure that your security labeling procedures expect
you to label information according to how sensitive it is.

Make sure that your security labeling procedures expect
you to label information according to how critical it is.

Make sure that your security labeling procedures
tell you how to label physical information assets.

Make sure that your security labeling procedures
tell you how to label intangible information assets.

Make sure that your security labeling
procedures tell you how to label reports.

Make sure that security labeling procedures
tell you how to label screen displays.

Make sure that security labeling procedures
tell you how to label recorded media.

Make sure that security labeling procedures
tell you how to label electronic messages.

Make sure that security labeling procedures
tell you how to label file transfers.