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Home/Blog/What is Data Classification? Types, Levels & Implementation Guide
Data Management

What is Data Classification? Types, Levels & Implementation Guide

Data classification explained: what it is, the classification levels (public, internal, confidential, restricted), how to implement it, and its role in data security and governance.

CDMP Master Academy·7 May 2025·8 min read

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Data Classification Levels and Controls

LevelExamplesAccess ControlHandling Requirements
PublicMarketing materials, website contentOpen accessNo special handling required
InternalPolicies, org charts, meeting notesAll employeesNot for external distribution
ConfidentialFinancial data, business strategiesNeed-to-know basisEncryption; access logging
RestrictedPII, PHI, payment card data, trade secretsStrictly limitedEncryption; DLP; audit trail; regulatory compliance

CDMP Exam Relevance

Data classification is a key concept in the Data Security knowledge area (6% of the CDMP exam). Key exam topics include: the classification levels and their definitions, the relationship between classification and access control, the role of classification in regulatory compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS), and the process for implementing a data classification programme. Classification is also relevant to Data Governance (policies and standards) and Data Lifecycle Management (retention and disposal requirements vary by classification level).

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