Security Label
4062·updated Aug 30, 2026Information that represents or designates the value of one or more security relevant-attributes (e.g., classification) of a system resource.
Source
and security labels.the sentence this term was read in
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A mechanism for binding a set of security attributes — such as classification level, handling caveats, or access-control constraints — directly to an information object or data structure, so that those attributes travel with the object and can be evaluated by any system or protocol that processes it. It is formally defined as "the means used to associate a set of security attributes with a specific information object as part of the data structure for that object" (NIST CSRC Glossary, sourced from CNSSI 4009-2015 and NIST SP 800-12/800-53). Security labels convey information used by protocol entities to determine how to handle data communicated between open systems, and can be used to control access, specify protective measures, and determine handling restrictions required by a communications security policy. In practice, the term encompasses security labeling of both data objects and system subjects — internal data structures within information systems — to enable system-based enforcement of information security policies.
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Proposed during multiword review of this document in the CKI mapping queue.
Attested in
Classifications
Entity Type
Sensitivity
Information Class
Variants
- plural
- security labelsSecurity Labels
- possessive
- security label'sSecurity Label's
- pluralpossessive
- security labels'Security Labels'
Framework definitions
- §1
- The means used to associate a set of security attributes with a specific information object as part of the data structure for that object.
- §2 · sense_2_pending_review
- A marking bound to a resource (which may be a data unit) that names or designates the security attributes of that resource.
- §3 · sense_3_pending_review
- Information that represents or designates the value of one or more security relevant-attributes (e.g., classification) of a system resource.
- §1
- Information that represents or designates the value of one or more security relevant-attributes (e.g., classification) of a system resource.
- §1
- The means used to associate a set of security attributes with a specific information object as part of the data structure for that object.
- §1
- A marking bound to a resource (which may be a data unit) that names or designates the security attributes of that resource.
- §1 · attested_usage_reviewer_confirmed
- No definition is given in NIST SP 800-171r3. The term is attested in use at 1 citation in that document; a definition is pending curation.Increment 2: attested in 800-171r3 without a glossary definition.
- §1 · legacy_primary
- Information that represents or designates the value of one or more security relevant-attributes (e.g., classification) of a system resource.DR-088 backfill from the noun definition column