What Assets to Keep Secure

In Topic 1, we learned that information security is about defending information from unwanted actions like disruption, modification, etc.

Information, however, isn't an independent entity existing by itself: it is kept or held in a physical storage device as data, transmitted through cable or wireless means, and processed by computer programs.

As such, we must provide adequate security to the following categories of assets:

• Hardware
• Software
• Data

The value of each asset depends on (1) the ease and cost of replacement (in case of damage/loss) and (2) how unique and personally valuable it is to the asset's owner.