Configure work item security schemes
You can create issue security levels within issue security schemes to let you and your team control who can see particular issues. When you associate an issue security scheme with a project, you can apply its security levels to issues in that project. Subtasks inherit the security level of their parent issue.
You need to be a Jira Cloud admin to configure work-level security.
You can't edit project permissions or roles on the Free plan for Jira, and you can't configure work-level security on any Free plan (including Jira Service Management). Find out more about how project permissions work in Free plans. To take advantage of Jira's powerful project permission management features, upgrade your plan.
The security level lock icon will only appear if there’s a security scheme set for the project, and if the security level is added to the View/Edit screen. Only users with permission can set the work item security level.
Allow users and groups to set work item security
Before anyone can set work-level security, you first need to grant relevant users and groups the Set work item security project permission.
Select Settings () > Work items.
Select Permission Schemes.
Locate the permission scheme you'd like to update, and select Permissions in the Actions column.
Choose Edit for the Set work item security permission.
Select who to grant the permission to and choose Grant.
Create a work item security scheme
Select Settings () > Work items.
Under WORK ITEM ATTRIBUTES, select Work item security schemes.
Click Add work item security scheme.
Fill in the requested details and click Add.
Add a security level to a work item security scheme
Select Settings () > Work items.
Under WORK ITEM ATTRIBUTES, select Work item security schemes.
Click the scheme name or the Security Levels link in the Actions column.
Fill in the requested details and then click Add Security Level.
When moving work items in bulk, make sure to check the security level set in the source and destination projects. Work items will take the default security level set in the destination project. If there is no security level set in the destination project, the security level of the work items will switch to ‘None’ (anyone can see the work items).
Set the default security level for a work item security scheme
You now have the power to select the default security level that will be applied to work items assigned to each security scheme. Some things to keep in mind when setting a default security level:
If the reporter of a work item does not have the 'Set work item security' permission, the work item will be set to the default security level.
If a work item security scheme doesn't have a default security level, work item security levels will be set to 'None' (anyone can see the work items).
Select Settings () > Work items.
Under WORK ITEM ATTRIBUTES, select Work item security schemes.
Click the scheme name or the Security Levels link in the Actions column.
To set the default security level, locate the appropriate Security Level and click Default in the Actions column.
To remove the default security level, click Change default security level to "None" link (near the top of the page).
Add members to a security level
Select Settings ()> Work items.
Under WORK ITEM ATTRIBUTES, select Work item security schemes.
Click the scheme name or the Security Levels link in the Actions column.
Locate the appropriate security level and click Add link in the Actions column
Select the appropriate user, group or project role, then click the Add button.
A security level's members may consist of:
Individual users
Groups
Project roles
Work item roles such as 'Reporter', 'Project Lead', and 'Current Assignee'
'Anyone' (eg. to allow anonymous access)
A (multi-)user or (multi-)group picker custom field.
Repeat steps 4 and 5 until all appropriate users, groups, or project roles have been added to the security level.
Assign a work item security scheme to a project
Next to your project's name in the sidebar, select more actions (•••), then Project settings.
Select Work item security from the project settings sidebar.
Choose Actions > Select a scheme.
Select the scheme you want to associate with the project.
If there are no previously secured work items (or if the project did not previously have a work item security scheme), skip the next step.
If there are any previously secured work items, select a new security level to replace each old level. All work items with the security level from the old scheme will now have the security level from the new scheme. You can choose 'None' if you want the security to be removed from all previously secured work items.
Click the Associate button to associate the project with the work item security scheme.
If the Security Level field isn’t displayed on the work item after configuring the work-level security, use the Find your field tool to see why. Learn more about finding a field on the work item.
If the Security level has been hidden on purpose, please see the limitations of doing so in Hiding or showing a field.
Edit a work item security scheme
You can edit the name and description of a work item security scheme. You can also edit the default security level when editing a work item.
Select Settings () > Work items.
Under WORK ITEM ATTRIBUTES, select Work item security schemes.
Click the Edit link in the Actions column for the scheme that you want to edit.
Make your changes and choose Update.
Copy a work item security scheme
You can copy an existing scheme to save time. If there's an existing scheme that almost meets your needs, you can copy it then make the required edits.
Select Settings () > Work items.
Under WORK ITEM ATTRIBUTES, select Work item security schemes.
Click the Copy link in the Actions column for the scheme that you want to copy.
A new scheme will be created with the same security levels and the same users/groups/project roles assigned to them. Your new scheme will be called 'Copy of ...'. You can then edit your new scheme to give it a different name.
Delete a work item security scheme
It's important to understand that you can't delete a work item security scheme if it is associated with a project. You must first remove any associations between the work item security scheme and projects on your Jira site. See Assign a work item security scheme.
Select Settings () > Work items.
Under WORK ITEM ATTRIBUTES, select Work item security schemes.
Click the Delete link in the Actions column for the scheme that you want to delete.
Was this helpful?