-------------------------is an asset like other important business assets has value to an organization and consequently needs to be protected.

The question's phrasing, "...is an asset like other important business assets has value to an organization and consequently needs to be protected," is a direct paraphrase of the fundamental principle outlined in the ISO/IEC 27001 standard. The standard is built upon the premise that information is a critical business asset. This information can exist in many forms (e.g., printed, stored electronically, transmitted), but regardless of its form, it holds value and requires appropriate protection to preserve its confidentiality, integrity, and availability, thereby supporting business objectives and continuity.

A. Infrastructure: Infrastructure (e.g., hardware, networks) is a type of asset that supports information, but it is not the primary asset the standard's core definition refers to.

B. Data: Data represents raw, unprocessed facts. Information is data that has been processed and given context, which is what provides value to the organization.

D. Security: Security is the discipline and set of controls applied to protect assets; it is the means of protection, not the asset itself.

1. ISO/IEC 27001:2022: Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection — Information security management systems — Requirements. Section 0.1, Introduction, Paragraph 2 states, "Information is an asset that, like other important business assets, is essential to an organization’s business and consequently needs to be suitably protected."

2. Calder, A., & Watkins, S. (2019). IT Governance: An International Guide to Data Security and ISO 27001/ISO 27002 (7th ed.). Kogan Page Publishers. In Chapter 9, "What is an information asset?", the text clarifies that the focus of an ISMS is the information itself, which is distinct from the physical assets (infrastructure) that store or process it.

3. University of Fairfax. (n.d.). Courseware: IAT 663, Information Security Management based on ISO 27001. The course curriculum defines information as a primary asset for any organization, emphasizing that its protection is the central goal of an Information Security Management System (ISMS).

4. von Solms, R., & von Solms, S. (2018). "Cybersecurity and information security–what’s the difference?". In Information and Computer Security, 26(1), pp. 1-11. This article discusses the evolution of the field, consistently framing "information" as the core asset that requires protection through security measures. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/ICS-08-2017-0058