To ensure proper governance of information throughout the lifecycle, which of the following should be assigned FIRST?

An owner cannot effectively fulfill their responsibilities-such as determining access controls and acceptable use-without first knowing the classification level of the information they are overseeing.

Classification must be assigned first because it defines the sensitivity and value of the information, which then drives all subsequent governance decisions. Without knowing whether data is public, internal, confidential, or restricted, you cannot appropriately assign ownership responsibilities, apply retention schedules, or designate custodians. Classification is the foundational metadata that informs every other lifecycle governance control.

A custodian is responsible for the technical safeguarding and storage of data, but those protections must be calibrated to the data's sensitivity, which is only known after classification is assigned.

Retention schedules and policies are determined by the type, sensitivity, and regulatory requirements tied to the data, all of which depend on classification being established first.