Specific Categories of Personally Identifiable Information
LOW MODERATE HIGHRequirements NIST SOURCE
Apply [processing conditions] for specific categories of personally identifiable information.
Discussion (NIST Supplemental Guidance)
Organizations apply any conditions or protections that may be necessary for specific categories of personally identifiable information. These conditions may be required by laws, executive orders, directives, regulations, policies, standards, or guidelines. The requirements may also come from the results of privacy risk assessments that factor in contextual changes that may result in an organizational determination that a particular category of personally identifiable information is particularly sensitive or raises particular privacy risks. Organizations consult with the senior agency official for privacy and legal counsel regarding any protections that may be necessary.
Enhancements NIST SOURCE
PT-7(1) Social Security Numbers LOW MODERATE HIGH
When a system processes Social Security numbers:
- (a) Eliminate unnecessary collection, maintenance, and use of Social Security numbers, and explore alternatives to their use as a personal identifier;
- (b) Do not deny any individual any right, benefit, or privilege provided by law because of such individual’s refusal to disclose his or her Social Security number; and
- (c) Inform any individual who is asked to disclose his or her Social Security number whether that disclosure is mandatory or voluntary, by what statutory or other authority such number is solicited, and what uses will be made of it.
Discussion
Federal law and policy establish specific requirements for organizations’ processing of Social Security numbers. Organizations take steps to eliminate unnecessary uses of Social Security numbers and other sensitive information and observe any particular requirements that apply.
PT-7(2) First Amendment Information LOW MODERATE HIGH
Prohibit the processing of information describing how any individual exercises rights guaranteed by the First Amendment unless expressly authorized by statute or by the individual or unless pertinent to and within the scope of an authorized law enforcement activity.
Discussion
The PRIVACT limits agencies’ ability to process information that describes how individuals exercise rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. Organizations consult with the senior agency official for privacy and legal counsel regarding these requirements.
Implementation Guidance
Original engineering commentary written for this explorer — not NIST source text and not authoritative guidance.
No engineering interpretation has been authored for PT-7 yet. This section is architected to receive it — see the Requirements and Assessment sections above for the authoritative NIST source content in the meantime.
Assessment
Assessment Objectives
- processing conditions to be applied for specific categories of personally identifiable information are defined;
- <PT-07_ODP processing conditions> are applied for specific categories of personally identifiable information.
Examine
[SELECT FROM: Personally identifiable information processing and transparency policy and procedures; privacy notice; Privacy Act system of records; computer matching agreements and notices; contracts; privacy information sharing agreements; memoranda of understanding; governing requirements; privacy plan; other relevant documents or records].
Interview
[SELECT FROM: Organizational personnel with personally identifiable information processing and transparency responsibilities; organizational personnel with information security and privacy responsibilities].
Test
[SELECT FROM: Organizational processes for supporting and/or implementing personally identifiable information processing].
STIGs & CCIs
No STIG checks or CCI mappings are currently loaded for PT-7. This section is architected to display, per product: STIG ID, Finding ID, Severity, Title, Description, Check, Fix, CCI, and NIST control mapping — but nothing is populated here until a real DISA STIG/CCI dataset is ingested.
Learn more about STIG/CCI integration →Evidence
Categorized from the SP 800-53A "Examine"/"Test" artifact list above by keyword — not an authoritative NIST evidence list.
Policy
- Personally identifiable information processing and transparency policy and procedures
- privacy plan
Testing
- Organizational processes for supporting and/or implementing personally identifiable information processing
Other Records
- privacy notice
- Privacy Act system of records
- computer matching agreements and notices
- contracts
- privacy information sharing agreements
- memoranda of understanding
- governing requirements
- other relevant documents or records