Certified Protection Professional (CPP) Practice Exam

What is considered proprietary information?

1. Information irrelevant to business

2. Anything deemed relevant by an enterprise

3. Only financial data

4. Public domain information

The correct answer is: Anything deemed relevant by an enterprise

Proprietary information refers to any data or knowledge that a business regards as confidential and important for its competitive advantage. This can encompass trade secrets, formulas, processes, designs, customer lists, and even internal business strategies. The key aspect of proprietary information is that it is not publicly accessible and is specifically protected to ensure that it remains exclusive to the company. When considering the aspects of the other choices, information that is irrelevant to business does not fall under the category of proprietary because it doesn't hold value or competitive significance to the organization. Financial data alone is too narrow a definition, as proprietary information can include a wide range of additional categories beyond just financial metrics. Lastly, public domain information is openly available and does not qualify as proprietary since it lacks the exclusivity that characterizes proprietary data. Thus, anything deemed relevant by an enterprise correctly captures the essence of proprietary information and its critical role in maintaining a company's success and strategy.