The Traffic Light Protocol (TLP) is a system for classifying
sensitive information created in the early 2000s by the UK Government's
National Infrastructure Security Co-ordination Centre, in order to encourage greater sharing of sensitive information.
The fundamental concept is for the originator to signal how widely they want their
information
Information is an Abstraction, abstract concept that refers to something which has the power Communication, to inform. At the most fundamental level, it pertains to the Interpretation (philosophy), interpretation (perhaps Interpretation (log ...
to be circulated beyond the immediate recipient. It is designed to improve the flow of information between
individual
An individual is one that exists as a distinct entity. Individuality (or self-hood) is the state or quality of living as an individual; particularly (in the case of humans) as a person unique from other people and possessing one's own needs or g ...
s,
organization
An organization or organisation (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English; American and British English spelling differences#-ise, -ize (-isation, -ization), see spelling differences) is an legal entity, entity—such as ...
s or
communities
A community is a Level of analysis, social unit (a group of people) with a shared socially-significant characteristic, such as place (geography), place, set of Norm (social), norms, culture, religion, values, Convention (norm), customs, or Ide ...
in a controlled and trusted way. It is important that everyone who handles TLP-labeled communications understands and obeys the rules of the protocol. Only then can trust be established and the benefits of information sharing realized. The TLP is based on the concept of the originator labeling information with one of four colors to indicate what further
dissemination
To disseminate (from Latin, lat. ''disseminare'' "scattering seeds"), in the field of communication, is to broadcast a message to the public without direct feedback from the audience.
Meaning
Dissemination takes on the theory of the traditional ...
, if any, can be undertaken by the recipient. The recipient must consult the originator if wider dissemination is required.
A number of current specifications for TLP exist.
* From
ISO/IEC
ISO/IEC JTC 1, entitled "Information technology", is a joint technical committee (JTC) of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Its purpose is to develop, maintain and ...
, as part of the Standard on
Information security
Information security is the practice of protecting information by mitigating information risks. It is part of information risk management. It typically involves preventing or reducing the probability of unauthorized or inappropriate access to data ...
management for inter-sector and inter-organizational communications.
* From
FIRST, which formed a Special Interest Group to draft a standardized set of definitions for the TLP colors and guidance on their usage.
Version 1.0 of the standard was published by FIRST on August 31, 2016,
before being replaced by Version 2.0 on August 5, 2022.
CISA officially adopted Version 2.0 of the FIRST standard on November 1, 2022.
Summary of TLP's four colours and their meanings
There are four colors (or traffic lights):
*
RED - personal for named recipients only
:In the context of a meeting, for example, RED information is limited to those present at the meeting. The distribution of RED information will generally be via a defined list and in extreme circumstances may only be passed verbally or in person.
*
AMBER - limited distribution
:The recipient may share AMBER information with others within their organization and their clients, but only on a ‘
need-to-know
The term "need to know" (alternatively spelled need-to-know), when used by governments and other organizations (particularly those related to military or intelligence), describes the restriction of data which is considered very confidential and ...
’ basis. The originator may be expected to specify the intended limits of that sharing.
:
AMBER+STRICT , introduced in TLP version 2.0, restricts sharing to the organisation only.
*
GREEN - community wide
:Information in this category can be circulated widely within a particular community. However, the information may not be published or posted publicly on the Internet, nor released outside of the community. Note: when “community” is not defined, assume the cybersecurity/defense community.
*
CLEAR - unlimited formerly:
WHITE - unlimited
:Subject to standard copyright rules, CLEAR/WHITE information may be distributed freely, without restriction.
In practice, one will indicate a document's classification with the acronym "TLP", followed by a colon and classification level, for example: "TLP:RED".
See also
*
Indicator of compromise
Indicator of compromise (IoC) in computer forensics is an artifact observed on a network or in an operating system that, with high confidence, indicates a computer intrusion.
Types of indication
Typical IoCs are virus signatures and IP addre ...
References
{{Reflist
External links
Forum of Incident Response and Security TeamsU.S. Department of Homeland Security
Classified information
Information sensitivity