Classifying information and sharing it safely
Why organizations classify information, how a typical four-level scheme works, and what each level means for storing, emailing, printing, sharing and disposing of it. Spot labels that no longer match the content, handle aggregation and relabelling, choose the right kind of sharing link, and know what to do with information you shouldn't have received. Awareness level: your organization's scheme and policy govern.
- Level
- Beginner
- Length
- About 40 minutes
- Contents
- 3 lessons · 1 video · final exam
- Status
- Published · updated 1 Oct 2026
Skills you'll practise
- Explain why information is classified and who decides its classification
- Classify everyday documents using an example four-level scheme and apply its handling rules
- Recognize over-classification, under-classification, aggregation and when a label must change
- Choose a sharing method and link type that limit access to the people who need it
- Respond correctly to information received by mistake or labelled wrongly
Course outline
- 1.Classifying information and sharing it safelyVideo · 3 min
- 2.Why classify, and an example schemeLesson · 13 min
- 3.Handling rules and labelsLesson · 14 min
- 4.Sharing safely and handling mistakesLesson · 13 min
- 5.Classifying information and sharing it safely: knowledge checkKnowledge check · 19 questions
- 6.The pricing deck anyone can openScenario
- 7.Final exam9 questions · passing it completes the course, so people who already know the material can test out
Sources it draws on
The lessons and questions are written from these references, so learners can go back to the original.
- ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A controls 5.12 Classification of information and 5.13 Labelling of information (summary by ISMS.online)
- GOV.UK: Government Security Classifications (OFFICIAL, SECRET, TOP SECRET; policy updated 5 August 2024) (UK example)
- GOV.UK: Guidance 1.1 Working at OFFICIAL (OFFICIAL by default; -SENSITIVE handling marking; need-to-know and need-to-share) (UK example)
- General workplace practice (awareness level; local law and your organization's policies govern)
See it with your own jobs and topics
Tell us about your team and we'll walk you through setup, from choosing jobs to your first skills check.