Topic

Classifying media

Applicable to

all

History

Priority

must

Dec 2021

Media is classified to the highest sensitivity or classification of data it stores, unless the media has been classified to a higher sensitivity or classification.

Miscellaneous changes were made to rationale and security controls throughout the publication. This included:

• A review from the Using the Information Security Manual chapter through to the Guidelines for Media chapter.

• Security controls suitable for all audiences have been identified with the ‘All’ applicability marking while additional security controls suitable for just government audiences have been identified with the O, P, S and TS applicability markings.

• Security controls suitable for specific classifications have been amended to include their classification(s) in the wording of the security controls to reduce the reliance on applicability markings to confer suitability.

• Tables in security controls have been converted into prose to allow for inclusion in the SSP annex template and the XML list of security controls.

• The use of ‘official’ and ‘highly classified’ terminology has been replaced with specific classifications to remove ambiguity.

• Security controls relating to high assurance ICT equipment have had their applicability narrowed to ‘S, TS’ reflecting that they are intended for the protection of SECRET and TOP SECRET systems and data.

Apr 2021

Media is classified to the highest sensitivity or classification of information stored on the media, unless the media has been classified to a higher sensitivity or classification.

Security control 0323 was amended to reflect that media isn’t always classified based on the highest sensitivity or classification of the information that it stores.For example, it may be connected to a system with a higher sensitivity or classification that necessitates reclassification of the media, or the aggregation of information on the media may necessitate a higher sensitivity or classification. Note, the use of encryption does not change the sensitivity or classification of media, only how it can be stored or handled at rest.

Mar 2021

Media is classified to the highest sensitivity or classification of information stored on the media.

Feb 2019

Media is classified to the highest sensitivity or classification of information stored on the media.

Security control 0323 was modified to fix the missing ‘of information’ text within the security control.

Jan 2019

Media is classified to the highest sensitivity or classification stored on the media.

2015

Agencies must classify media to the highest sensitivity or classification stored on the mediasince any previous reclassification.

2010

Agencies must classify media to the highest classification stored on the media since anyprevious reclassification.

2008

Agencies must classify media, including both non-volatile and volatile media, to the highest classification stored on the media since any previous re-classification.