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Sensitive Information

What is Sensitive Information?

Information that, if disclosed improperly, could cause harm to individuals or the organization, requiring enhanced protection measures.

Information Security

Each of these is named in at least one of the same controls as sensitive information. The number is how many controls name both.

What the standards actually require on sensitive information

Requirements naming sensitive information across 6 standards, quoted from the control text.

Section 2 of the Privacy Protection Law defines 'information' broadly as data on personality, personal status, intimate affairs, health, economic status, professional qualifications, opinions and beliefs.

PPL-S2-DEF · Personal Information and Sensitive Information Definitions

Korea PIPA Articles 23-25 special categories + unique identifiers. Article 23 sensitive information (ideology + belief + trade union + political affiliation + health + sexual orientation + biometric + genetic + criminal record) requires separate explicit conse...

PIPA-Sensitive-Information-Unique-ID-Resident-Registration-Numbers-CCTV-Articles-23-24-25 · Korea PIPA Sensitive Information + Unique ID + RRN + CCTV + Articles 23-25

Identify the information and servers that are most sensitive to the entity and maintain an up to date diagram of the network showing them.

ANSSI-HYG-04 · Identify the Most Sensitive Information and Servers and Maintain a Network Diagram

Per Privacy Act + OAIC guidance: heightened safeguards. Requirements include (a) implement Sensitive Information Handling per definition in Privacy Act including health + genetic + biometric + ethnicity + religion + political + sexual orientation + criminal re...

AUPRV-6 · Sensitive Information, PIA, Privacy by Design, Children

Apply heightened safeguards when processing sensitive information including health, genetic, biometric, racial, political, religious, trade union, sexual life and criminal data, including explicit consent or another specific statutory ground and a documented n...

ZDPA-04 · Sensitive Information Processing Safeguards

Rank 17 in the 2024 CWE Top 25 (frequency x severity of CVEs). The product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorised to have access to it.

CWE-200 · Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor

Questions people ask about sensitive information

What is Sensitive Information?
Information that, if disclosed improperly, could cause harm to individuals or the organization, requiring enhanced protection measures.
Why is Sensitive Information important for compliance?
Sensitive Information is a key concept in Information Security. Understanding sensitive information helps organizations meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk, and demonstrate due diligence during audits. Our compliance platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings.
Which compliance frameworks address Sensitive Information?
Sensitive Information appears in the requirement text of Israel Protection of Privacy Law (5741-1981), South Korea PIPA, ANSSI Guide d'hygiene informatique (42 mesures, v2.0), Privacy Act 1988 (Australia), Zimbabwe Data Protection Act (2021). Across these standards we have identified 14 controls that name it directly, each linked to the control text on the compliance platform.
Where can I learn more about Sensitive Information?
Explore our compliance framework pages to see how sensitive information applies across different standards and regulations. Our implementation guides provide step-by-step guidance, and the compliance platform offers AI-powered analysis of how this concept maps across 686 frameworks.

See how Sensitive Information applies across compliance frameworks

Our platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings. Explore how this concept is addressed across standards.

Written and maintained by Gerard Blokdyk, The Art of Service.