Tribune News Network
Doha
The National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) is launching the National Data Classification Policy, which aims to lay the foundation for data governance within government entities and vital sectors in Qatar, as well as establishing a unified data classification scheme to facilitate the exchange of information within the country.
The policy also aims to unify the definitions of data classification and facilitate the adoption and implementation of projects and initiatives at an institutional and national level, in addition to guiding stakeholders and helping them understand and comply with the basic principles of data classification and ensuring its application within their entities and complying with the national policies.This step comes to enhance the role of the National Cyber Security Agency in developing and updating policies, governance mechanisms, standards, controls and guidelines required to enhance cybersecurity and circulating them to the relevant entities and following up on their compliance.
The data classification policy is the basic building block of national information assurance standards and other national policies and guidelines that will help regulate and govern the levels of data classification used by the relevant entities in Qatar.Entities will have a unified reference to the bases of classifying data based on the risks they may be exposed to, which fall into the categories of: high, medium or low, and therefore this classification will determine the technical and administrative controls that must be taken into consideration in dealing with the assets through which the data is used.
The policy will also facilitate processing and sharing data with third parties taking into consideration the level of protection needed from procedural or technical terms.
It also sets out a set of controls to be considered for data protection, as well as the roles and responsibilities that organisations must consider.
The National Cyber Security Agency will hold an online workshop on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, in order to introduce the data classification policy and its importance on a national level, in addition to a detailed explanation of the most important terms and pillars of this policy.