Introduction

Imagine trying to guard a treasure chest without knowing where it is or worse, not knowing it exists.
That’s what many organizations do when they try to secure their business without keeping a proper inventory of information and assets.

ISO 27001 Control 5.9 makes it clear: you can’t protect what you don’t know you have. This control ensures organizations identify, document, and maintain an accurate inventory of information assets and the equipment, systems, and media they rely on.

Summary of Control 5.9: Inventory of Information and Other Associated Assets

🔒 Control Title: Inventory of Information and Other Associated Assets
📘 Source: ISO/IEC 27002:2022, Section 5.9
🧩 Control Category: Organizational
🔍 Attributes:

Control Type: #Preventive

Security Properties: #Confidentiality, #Integrity, #Availability

Cybersecurity Concepts: #Identify, #Protect

Operational Capabilities: #Asset_Management

Security Domain: #Protection_and_Defense

Control Objective

To identify and document all information assets and the associated equipment or systems, assigning clear ownership and ensuring they are properly protected throughout their lifecycle.

Implementation Guidance

1) Define What Counts as an Asset:

• Information assets: databases, documents, source code, customer records
• Associated assets: servers, laptops, USB drives, cloud storage accounts, applications, and even paper files

2) Create and Maintain an Asset Register:

• Include details like:
  • Asset name and description
  • Owner
  • Location
  • Classification (confidential, public, restricted, etc.)
  • Value or importance to the business

3) Assign Asset Ownership:

• Every asset should have a designated owner responsible for its protection and updates to its record

4) Integrate Classification and Handling:

• Link the asset inventory to your information classification and handling procedures

5) Review and Update Regularly:

• Audit the list periodically especially after projects, acquisitions, or tech upgrades

Why This Control Matters

• Without a complete asset inventory:
• You risk unprotected “shadow IT” systems
• Incident response becomes slow and messy
• Compliance gaps appear because you can’t prove control over sensitive data

With a proper inventory, you can:

• Prioritize protections for your most critical data
• Identify and retire unused or risky assets
• Improve audit readiness and reduce compliance headaches

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Only listing physical hardware but ignoring digital/cloud assets
• Treating asset inventories as a “one-time” task instead of ongoing work
• No ownership assigned, so records quickly become outdated
• Overcomplicating the inventory process so no one keeps it updated

Canadian Cyber’s Take

At Canadian Cyber, we treat your asset inventory like your security treasure map accurate, up-to-date, and easy to navigate.
We help clients in Canada and beyond discover hidden assets, classify them, and implement controls that actually match their value and risk.

Want to Map Your Cybersecurity Assets Before Hackers Do?

We can help you build and maintain an ISO 27001-compliant asset inventory that keeps your organization secure and audit-ready.
👉 Click here to start your asset mapping journey.

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