Information Categorization Tool
Securing information not only concerns the proper handling and protection of information but also safeguarding information from creation and storage to disposal. Employees must protect all information, whether it is in a physical form or electronic form. This guide allows you to easily find everything you need for information categorization and handling. For ease of reference and definition purposes:
- Protected Information:
- Refers to specific provisions of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act and applies to sensitive personal, private and business information that may qualify for exemption or exclusion.
- Classified Information:
- Relates to the national interest. It concerns the defence and maintenance of the social, political and economic stability of Canada that would qualify for an exemption or exclusion under the Access to Information Act.
What type of information are you using for your document?
Select the type of information you are using in your document and find out the proper safeguards.
Unclassified Information
- Definition:
-
Information that carries no injury to personal, industry, or government interests as an example:
Most business correspondence (e.g. emails, records, policies, drafts, notes)
Personal Information
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Medical or financial information
- Marital Status
Protected A If the document contains one of these elements, it is Protected A.
Protected B If the document contains a full name with one of these elements.
Protected A
Definition: Unauthorized release could cause injury to private or other non-national interests, to an individual or a company such as loss of privacy or cause embarrassment.
- Social Insurance Number (SIN);
- Personal Record Identifier (PRI);
- Any number assigned uniquely to someone
Protected B Any of these alone, it is Protected B.
Corporate Information
If you have specific examples you would like us to include into this tool for your field of expertise, please send them to: Feedback and Recommendations
Accommodation
- Contracts
- Floor Plan (Layout only)
Document containing One of these elements.
- Critical infrastructure risk analysis
- Floor Plan (including Alarm panels, sensitive rooms, security wiring etc.)
Under development, text to come.
ATIP
Under development, text to come.
Audit
Under development, text to come.
Finances
- Credit worthiness
- Financial history or activitiesor creditworthiness
- Funding applications information
- Funding proposals submitted by provinces
- Individual’s bank balance
- Large financial transactions and payment
- Financial Treasury Board submissions
Human Resources
- Administrative advices or plans that are not in effect yet.
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Medical or financial information
- Ethnic or racial origin, religious or political beliefs and associations or lifestyle.
- Gender
- Marital Status
- Salary
- Employer’s or a company’s Business Number
Protected A If the document contains one of these elements, it is Protected A.
Protected B If the document contains a full name with one of these elements.
- Social Insurance Number (SIN) alone;
- Personal Record Identifier (PRI) alone; or
- Any number assigned uniquely to someone
- Performance evaluations and character references
- Exact salary with deductions
Protected B Any of these elements alone are considered Protected B.
Internal Disclosure
Under development, text to come.
IT Security
Under development, text to come.
Labour Relations
- Details from Grievance details and actions proposed
- Details from Human rights complaints
- Details of Harassment complaints
- Content / details of Medical, Psychiatric or Psychological reports
Legal Services
- Solicitor-Client privilege information
Ministerial Correspondence
Under development, text to come.
Occupational Health & Safety
- Information providing details of an incident at workplace
- Content of Medical Evacuation reports
- Details of Workplace Violence incidents
- Disability detailed information of a person
- Content of an Ergonomic Evaluation Report
Ombudsman
Complaints;
Security Services
- Security clearance documentation
- Details of investigation reports
- Details from Threat and Risk Assessment (TRA)
- Details from Security Breach reports
- Details from Administrative Investigation reports
- Details from Business Continuity Plans
- Details from Investigations into threats to individuals;
- Names and details of Police informants
- Information contained in the Witness Protection Program
- Commercial information supplied by a third party
Values & Ethics
- Content of Complaints letters
- Content of investigations
If you already know the security level of your information
Select the level of protection or categorization and find out the proper safeguards.
Protected A
Definition: Unauthorized release could cause injury such as loss of privacy or cause embarrassment.
Personal
Document containing one of these elements:
- Full name;
- Date of Birth (DOB);
- Personal email address;
Departmental Business
Contracts, Standing offers, Most corporate e-mail
Security Screening Requirement: Reliability Status
This is the minimum standard of security screening for positions requiring unsupervised access to Government of Canada protected information, assets, facilities or information technology systems. Security screening for reliability status appraises an individual's honesty and whether he or she can be trusted to protect the employer's interests. Security screening for reliability status can include enhanced inquiries, verifications and assessments when duties involve or directly support security and intelligence functions. Reliability status may also be referred to herein as a security status.
Valid for 10 years
Protected B
Definition: Unauthorized release could cause serious injury to private or other non-national interests, to an individual or a company such as loss of privacy or cause embarrassment.
Personal
- Date of Birth (DOB)
- Gender
- Medical or financial information
- Marital Status
Protected B if the document contains a full name with one of these elements.
- Social Insurance Number (SIN)
- Personal Record Identifier (PRI)
- Any number assigned uniquely to someone
Protected B Any of these alone, it is Protected B.
Departmental Business
- Business Continuity Plans (BCP);
- Floor Plans
(including security systems, sensitive areas [example: secure rooms]); - Third party business information provided in confidence (example: employer’s or a company’s business number);
- Legal (client privilege)
Security Screening Requirement: Reliability Status
The minimum standard of security screening for positions requiring unsupervised access to Government of Canada protected information, assets, facilities or information technology systems. Security screening for reliability status appraises an individual's honesty and whether he or she can be trusted to protect the employer's interests. Security screening for reliability status can include enhanced inquiries, verifications and assessments when duties involve or directly support security and intelligence functions. Reliability status may also be referred to herein as a security status.
Valid for 10 years
Protected C
Extremely sensitive information related to non-national interest that a) may qualify for an exemption or exclusion under the Privacy Act or the Access to Information Act and b) whose unauthorized disclosure could reasonably be expected to cause extremely serious injury to individuals, organizations or government.
Personal
- Investigations (threats to individuals);
- police informants;
- witness protection program
- name of an informant
- covert law enforcement operations
Departmental Business
Trade secret, commercial information supplied by a third party, etc.
Security Screening Requirement: Secret
Secret clearance screening builds on reliability status screening and is conducted for positions requiring frequent and unsupervised access to Government of Canada information, assets, facilities or IT systems categorized as secret.
Valid for 10 years
Confidential
Definition: Unauthorized release could cause limited injury to the national interests.
Confidential
International, interprovincial/territorial affairs and defense, diplomatic information, official deliberations, funding proposals, or briefing notes on matters connected to the Canadian national interest which, if compromised, would affect the national interest in a limited or moderate way.
Security Screening Requirement: Secret
Secret clearance screening builds on reliability status screening and is conducted for positions requiring frequent and unsupervised access to Government of Canada information, assets, facilities or IT systems categorized as secret.
It may also be required when duties provide:
- Knowledge to obtain a comprehensive picture of a secret plan, policy or project;
- Access to systems deemed critical to the national interest;
- Involve working in offices of Ministers, Ministers of State and parliamentary secretaries , including exempt staff.
Valid for 10 years
Secret
Definition: Could result in increased international tension, serious damage to Ministerial responsibilities, serious damage to international or federal-provincial relations, serious damage to valuable intelligence operations, serious damage to civil order, etc.
Secret
- Minutes or records of discussion of Cabinet or Cabinet Committees relating to departmental responsibilities (e.g.) Memoranda to Cabinet;
- Other classified information from Privy Council Office (PCO) and Minister’s office;
- Federal-provincial / territorial discussions;
- Records relating to ongoing consultations and negotiations between the Department and its provincial / territorial counterparts which concern major adjustments to national employment strategies;
- Departmental input to the national budget prior to its official release;
- Draft legislation and strategy options.
Security Screening Requirement: SECRET
Secret clearance screening builds on reliability status screening and is conducted for positions requiring frequent and unsupervised access to Government of Canada information, assets, facilities or IT systems categorized as secret.
It may also be required when duties provide:
- Knowledge to obtain a comprehensive picture of a secret plan, policy or project;
- Access to systems deemed critical to the national interest;
- Involve working in offices of Ministers, Ministers of State and parliamentary secretaries, including exempt staff.
Valid for 10 years
Top Secret
Definition: If compromised, could result in widespread loss of life, extremely valuable security/intelligence operations sustaining exceptional damage and armed hostilities against Canada and its Allies, (e.g. Terrorism).
Security Screening Requirement: TOP SECRET
Top Secret clearance screening is conducted for positions requiring frequent and unsupervised access to top secret Government of Canada information, assets, facilities or IT systems.
It may also be required when duties provide sufficient knowledge to obtain a comprehensive picture of a top secret Government of Canada plan, policy or project;
Requires an individual to have access to certain levels of protectively marked material originating from another country or international organization; or
Requires an individual to have access to classified information, assets or facilities where the impact of compromise would cause exceptionally grave injury to the national interest and pose a threat to the security of Canada.
Valid for 5 years