GOV-08: High Value Assets (HVAs)
Mechanisms exist to identify and catalog the organization's High Value Assets (HVAs) (e.g., crown jewels), including defining: (1) Criteria for high-value Intellectual Property (IP) to be categorized as a HVA; (2) Criteria for Technology Assets, Applications and Services (TAAS) to be categorized as a HVA based on business process criticality or dependency relationships; (3) Location of HVA Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD); (4) Assigned owners; (5) Minimum protection mechanisms that must be implemented; and (6) Assurance requirements.
Code reused: In SCF 2025.4 and earlier, GOV-08 was Defining Business Context & Mission. That control is now GOV-06.
Control Question: Does the organization identify and catalog its High Value Assets (HVAs) (e.g., crown jewels), including defining: (1) Criteria for high-value Intellectual Property (IP) to be categorized as a HVA; (2) Criteria for Technology Assets, Applications and Services (TAAS) to be categorized as a HVA based on business process criticality or dependency relationships; (3) Location of HVA Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD); (4) Assigned owners; (5) Minimum protection mechanisms that must be implemented; and (6) Assurance requirements?
EMEA (1)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| EMEA CHE FINMA Circular 2023/1 | IV.D-77 |
APAC (1)
| Framework | Mapping Values |
|---|---|
| APAC Australia ISM June 2026 | ISM-2005 |
Capability Maturity Model
Level 0 — Not Performed
Practices are non-existent, based on the inability to demonstrate an implemented and operational capability. A reasonable person would conclude the control is not being performed.
Level 1 — Performed Informally
SCR-CMM Level 1 criteria definitions are not available for this control: ▪ A reasonable person would conclude this control requires a structured process. ▪ At this level of maturity, the "ad hoc" nature of performing a capability informally would indicate the intent of the control is not met due to a lack of consistency and formality.
Level 2 — Planned & Tracked
Cybersecurity & Data Protection Governance (GOV) capabilities are requirements-driven, but are not standardized across the entity (e.g., local/regional level consistency). Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Policies and standards associated with GOV domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with GOV domain capabilities are documented and maintained by process owners. ▪ IT and/or cybersecurity personnel work with business stakeholders and process owners to appropriately scope and reasonably implement cybersecurity and data protection controls associated with GOV domain capabilities to address applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). ▪ Governance-related controls are primarily administrative and preventative in nature (e.g., policies, standards and procedures & guidelines). ▪ No formal Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team exists. GRC roles are assigned to existing IT and/or cybersecurity personnel.
Level 3 — Well Defined
Cybersecurity & Data Protection Governance (GOV) capabilities are standardized across the entity for applicability to People, Processes, Technologies, Data and/or Facilities (PPTDF) to ensure consistency for Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD). Capability criteria associated with this control reasonably expect the following criteria to exist: ▪ Policies and standards associated with GOV domain capabilities are formally documented and centrally-managed by the entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function. ▪ Standardized Operating Procedures (SOP) associated with GOV domain capabilities are well-documented and kept current by process owners. ▪ The entity's Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) team, or similar function, is appropriately staffed and supported to implement and maintain GOV domain capabilities to address Minimum Compliance Requirements (MCR) (e.g., applicable statutory, regulatory and/or contractual requirements) and Discretionary Security Requirements (DSR) (e.g., entity-required controls). ▪ Technology is leveraged to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of governance, risk management and compliance operations (e.g., GRC platform). ▪ An implemented and operational capability exists to identify and catalog the organization's High Value Assets (HVAs), including defining: (1) Criteria for high-value Intellectual Property (IP) to be categorized as a HVA (e.g., "crown jewel" IP); (2) Criteria for Technology Assets, Applications and Services (TAAS) to be categorized as a "crown jewel," based on business process criticality or dependency relationships; (3) Location of "crown jewel" Technology Assets, Applications, Services and/or Data (TAASD); (4) Assigned owners; (5) Minimum protection mechanisms that must be implemented; and (6) Assurance requirements.
Level 4 — Quantitatively Controlled
Utilize SCR-CMM Level 3 criteria definitions: ▪ There are no defined Level 4 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a quantitatively-controlled process is not necessary to operationalize this control. ▪ While it may be possible to develop “metrics-driven” capabilities for this control, the criteria would be organization-specific to define.
Level 5 — Continuously Improving
Utilize SCR-CMM Level 3 or Level 4 (if available) criteria definitions: ▪ There are no defined Level 5 criteria, since it is reasonable to assume a continuously-improving process is not necessary to operationalize this control. ▪ Level 5 capabilities should be considered “world-class” where the control builds on Level 4 capabilities, but are continuously improving through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Learning (ML) technologies. ▪ While it may be possible to develop responsive capabilities for this control through the use of AI and/or ML technologies, the criteria would be organization-specific to define.
Assessment Objectives
- GOV-08_A01 a High Value Assets (HVAs) catalog is created.
- GOV-08_A02 criteria are defined for high-value Intellectual Property (IP) to be categorized as a High Value Asset (HVA).
- GOV-08_A03 criteria are defined for Technology Assets, Applications and Services (TAAS) to be categorized as a High Value Asset (HVA), based on business process criticality or dependency relationships.
- GOV-08_A04 the physical and/or logical location of HVAs is documented.
- GOV-08_A05 assigned owners are defined for HVAs.
- GOV-08_A06 minimum protection mechanisms for HVAs are defined.
- GOV-08_A07 assurance requirements for HVAs are defined.
Evidence Requirements
- E-GOV-21 High Value Asset (HVA) List
-
Documented evidence of the organization's designated High Value Assets (HVAs).
Security, Compliance & Resilience Governance
Technology Recommendations
Micro/Small
- Manual identification of most critical business assets
- HVA asset register (spreadsheet)
Small
- HVA asset register with basic protection requirements
- Critical asset identification by business process dependency
Medium
- HVA identification process
- Critical asset register with minimum protection requirements
- Risk-based prioritization of HVA assets
Large
- Formal HVA identification program
- Critical asset protection requirements matrix
- Regular HVA review cycle
Enterprise
- Enterprise HVA program with board-level visibility
- Integrated critical asset protection within GRC platform
- Threat modeling centered on HVA assets