Building solid foundations: the case for data classification
Cath Everett · Computer Fraud & Security · 2011
Although data classification is considered by many professionals to be the foundation of any information security activity, few organisations outside of defence and the security services have done much about it. The discipline is a crucial one, however – not least because, in an ideal world, it should drive the rules that determine what users are permitted to do, or not do, with corporate information. In fact, information security professionals are increasingly starting to view data classification as the core of all other information security activity. Cath Everett explores why it is so important, what benefits it offers and why, despite this, it has not been more widely adopted to date. She also puts forward suggestions for constructing a business case for data classification and looks at what steps organisations need to take to ensure that these complex change projects succeed.