Type of security metadata observation made about the classification of an IT resource (data, information object, service, or system capability), which may be used to make access control decisions. Security classification is defined by ISO/IEC 2382-8:1998(E/F)/ T-REC-X.812-1995 as: "The determination of which specific degree of protection against access the data or information requires, together with a designation of that degree of protection." Security classification metadata is based on an analysis of applicable policies and the risk of financial, reputational, or other harm that could result from unauthorized disclosure.

Rationale: A security classification observation may indicate that the confidentiality level indicated by an Act or Role confidentiality attribute has been overridden by the entity responsible for ascribing the SecurityClassificationObservationValue. This supports the business requirement for increasing or decreasing the level of confidentiality (classification or declassification) based on parameters beyond the original assignment of an Act or Role confidentiality.

Examples: Types of security classification include: HL7 Confidentiality Codes such as very restricted, unrestricted, and normal. Intelligence community examples include top secret, secret, and confidential.

Usage Note: Security classification observation type codes designate security label field types, which are valued with an applicable SecurityClassificationObservationValue code as the "security label tag".