ISO 27001 A.5.13: labeling information, explained for startups

A.5.13 Labelling of information

Sensitive information is marked so people know how to handle it. What proves it: how information is labeled with its level, and an example of a labeled item.

A certification auditor samples labeled documents or systems. A file that usually does the job: a document footer marked Confidential, or sensitivity labels shown in your file sharing tool.

How to put it in place

Each step leaves a record, and the record is what the auditor samples rather than the step itself. Inside Polara, the control card for A.5.13 walks you through it in this order.

1. Decide how each level is marked, for example a footer on documents or a label in your file sharing tool.
2. Turn on labels in the tools you use where they exist.
3. Spot check a few files and record the date.

The free ISO 27001 readiness assessment asks one question that evidences it:

• Do you have information classification levels, with handling rules for each level?

Policies, connectors and the SOC 2 overlap

In the ISO 27001 policy pack, the Asset Management and Information Classification Policy covers A.5.13. An auditor reads the policy for the rule, then samples the records to see the rule was followed.

The same evidence counts toward SOC 2. The Trust Services criterion that cover this ground: CC6.1, logical access.

Organizational controls

A.5.13 is one of the 37 organizational controls in Annex A. How the company runs security: policies, roles, suppliers, incidents, continuity and legal duties. Most of these are written decisions and the records that show you follow them.

Nearby controls in the same theme:

• A.5.10, acceptable use
• A.5.11, returning assets
• A.5.12, classifying information
• A.5.14, sending information out
• A.5.15, access control rules
• A.5.16, identities and accounts

Before it: A.5.12, classifying information. After it: A.5.14, sending information out. Every control, by theme, is on the Annex A controls page.