Labelling of information makes decision making for your staff easier - they will immediately know how to handle the information they are dealing with, by reference to your organisation's published rules. This topic looks at various ways your organisation can label information.

• The incorrect labelling of information may lead to disclosure of that information into the public domain, resulting in loss of client confidence in your organisation.

• Label both physically and electronically stored information, to ensure that the information is handled according to your organisation's rules.
• Physical labelling of documents, hardware items and removable media should include security classifications. Bar-code labels may be an option for hardware items.
• Electronic labelling for computer based information needs to be introduced. This could be at the folder level for sensitive and confidential information.
• Consider using password controls and / or cryptography / check-summing for highly confidential information.
• Labelling systems should not be overcomplicated, as the overhead may outweigh the value of the items being protected.
• See also Access Control.