Asset Management
The process of identifying, classifying, documenting, and managing the lifecycle of information assets — including hardware, software, data, and cloud services — to ensure they are appropriately protected according to their value and sensitivity.
Asset management is a foundational information security practice because an organization cannot protect what it does not know it has. An information asset register (or inventory) catalogs all assets relevant to information security, including physical assets (servers, laptops, networking equipment, mobile devices), software assets (operating systems, applications, SaaS subscriptions, open-source components), data assets (databases, file shares, backups, archives), cloud infrastructure (virtual machines, containers, storage buckets, serverless functions), and people (roles with access to critical systems). Each asset should have an assigned owner who is responsible for ensuring its appropriate protection.
ISO 27001 Annex A dedicates several controls to asset management. A.5.9 requires an inventory of information and other associated assets. A.5.10 covers acceptable use of information assets. A.5.11 addresses return of assets when employment ends. A.5.12-A.5.13 cover information classification and labeling. SOC 2 evaluators assess whether organizations maintain inventories of system components and have processes for managing their lifecycle. NIS2 requires essential entities to implement cybersecurity risk-management measures, which cannot be done effectively without a comprehensive understanding of the asset landscape. In technology due diligence, the completeness and accuracy of the asset inventory is a key indicator of operational maturity.
Modern asset management is complicated by the dynamic nature of cloud and containerized environments where infrastructure can be created, modified, and destroyed programmatically. Traditional spreadsheet-based inventories struggle to keep pace. Organizations increasingly use automated discovery tools, cloud asset management platforms, and configuration management databases (CMDBs) that integrate with cloud providers and IT service management systems. Regardless of the tooling, the asset management process should include procedures for onboarding new assets, regular reconciliation to identify rogue or unmanaged assets, classification based on the sensitivity of data handled, lifecycle management (including secure decommissioning), and integration with vulnerability management to ensure all assets are included in scanning programs.
Related frameworks
Related terms
Annex A
The appendix to ISO 27001 that contains a reference set of 93 information security controls organized into four themes: Organizational, People, Physical, and Technological. Organizations use Annex A as a checklist to ensure their ISMS addresses all relevant control areas.
Change Management
A structured process for evaluating, approving, implementing, and documenting changes to information systems, infrastructure, and processes in a controlled manner that minimizes the risk of unintended disruptions or security vulnerabilities.
Information Security Policy
A high-level document approved by top management that establishes the organization's overall direction and principles for information security, defines the scope of the ISMS, demonstrates management commitment, and sets the framework for establishing security objectives and controls.
Patch Management
The systematic process of identifying, evaluating, testing, and deploying software updates (patches) to fix security vulnerabilities, address bugs, and maintain the integrity of systems and applications across the organization's infrastructure.
Risk Assessment
A structured process for identifying, analyzing, and evaluating information security risks. Risk assessments determine the likelihood and potential impact of threats to an organization's information assets, guiding decisions about which controls to implement.
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