ISO 27001 Annex A 5.12: Classification of information

What auditors look for

Auditors check that 5.12 is either justified as not applicable in your Statement of Applicability or implemented and working. Typical evidence includes:

• Classification scheme
• Classification in the asset or data inventory
• Examples of classified documents

How to implement 5.12 in practice

1. Use three or four levels at most
2. Give clear examples for each level
3. Default unlabelled data to Internal
4. Name an owner for 5.12, decide how often it runs and file evidence each time, so the control is audit-ready all year.

How 5.12 supports GDPR

This control helps demonstrate GDPR Art. 32. Map it once in your control matrix so the same evidence supports both ISO 27001 and GDPR accountability. See the GDPR compliance checklist.

Recording 5.12 in the Statement of Applicability

List 5.12 with whether it applies, the reason (usually the risks it treats or a legal or contractual requirement), its implementation status and where the evidence lives. If you exclude it, explain why none of your risks or obligations require it.

Free resources

• How to build a security policy framework
• ISO 27001 and GDPR readiness assessment
• 10 steps to implement ISO 27001
• Remote ISO 27001 consultant

More organizational controls

• 5.8 Information security in project management
• 5.9 Inventory of information and other associated assets
• 5.10 Acceptable use of information and other associated assets
• 5.11 Return of assets
• 5.13 Labelling of information
• 5.14 Information transfer
• 5.15 Access control
• 5.16 Identity management