What is Asset?

Understanding Asset

An item perceived as having value. In cybersecurity context, assets include both tangible resources and intangible elements that require protection. Assets are classified and prioritized based on their criticality to business operations and sensitivity of contained information. Security frameworks like ISO 27001 and NIST CSF require organizations to maintain comprehensive asset inventories. Organizations implement asset management systems to track, monitor, and secure their assets throughout their lifecycle. For example, a hospital would classify patient databases as critical assets requiring the highest level of protection due to the sensitive information they contain. Related terms: Asset management, Asset classification, Asset inventory, Critical assets, Data classification.