What should organizations do regarding inventory of system components as per requirement 2?

Maintaining an inventory of system components is essential for organizations to ensure compliance with security standards and regulations. This practice serves several critical functions. First, it allows organizations to have a clear understanding of what systems and components are in use, which is vital for managing security risks associated with each device or software application. An up-to-date inventory helps in identifying vulnerabilities, ensuring proper patch management, and facilitating incident response when security issues arise.

Additionally, having a comprehensive inventory supports effective risk assessments and aligns with compliance requirements that often stipulate organizations maintain detailed records of their systems to prove adherence to security protocols. By actively managing this inventory, organizations can ensure they are protecting all components, both old and new, and are ready for any audits or reviews that may assess their compliance status.

In contrast, other options do not align with the best practices for security management. Discarding the inventory after installation overlooks the continuous nature of security management, while limiting the inventory to hardware only neglects the importance of including software and configurations that also pose risks. Employing the inventory solely for financial tracking would undermine its essential role in security and compliance.