How Do You Meet the Asset Management Requirements of IS0 27001?

Establishing Asset Registers

When compiling your asset registers or inventories, it is recommended that you record the following information for each information asset:

• Asset type
• Asset owner
• Asset classification
• Asset location
• Asset impact levels in relation to confidentiality, integrity and availability

Establishing Asset Types

URM suggests the following basic segregation of assets:

• Information assets
• Supporting assets
  –  hardware
  –  software
  –  people
  –  buildings
• Intangible assets (e.g., brand and reputation).

Identifying Asset Owners

In the process of identifying asset owners, it is important to identify a functional role that has oversight of specific types of assets.  
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Asset owners are responsible for:

• Identifying risks to the asset type
• Providing guidance and instructions on how the asset should be used.
• Identifying levels of protection required depending on the asset classification.
• Implementing and verifying the effectiveness of security controls in respect of that asset type.

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Assigning Asset Classifications

Depending on the organisational structure, it would typically be the asset owner who would decide asset classification.  The classification must be approved by top management and the criteria for protection of assets must be in line with their criticality.

Assigning Impact Levels

As with classification, impact levels need to be assigned by the asset owner.  Determining the impact levels of assets can be relatively complex, but in essence, the impact level will be inherited by the information contained on or within the asset.

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