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Data Classification and Protection Standard

1.0 Overview

Data assets are some of the most valuable assets owned by the University of Georgia (UGA). UGA produces, collects, and uses many different types of data in fulfilling its mission. Laws and institutional policy mandate privacy and protection of certain types of data, and the University’s need to manage the risks to its reputation and to its constituents requires the protection of other information. Classifying data is the first step in determining the data’s need for protection.

2.0 Objective / Purpose

This standard is intended to help UGA employees classify data for the purposes of determining its need for protection and determining applicable policies and laws.

3.0 Scope

This standard can be used to classify any data that are stored, processed, or transmitted by UGA. The standard applies to all types of data:

  • Electronic data,
  • Data recorded on paper and
  • Information shared orally, visually or by other means.

4.0 Standard

4.1 Classification

Data can be classified either in terms of its need for protection (e.g. Sensitive Data) or its need for availability (e.g. Critical Data). To classify data in terms of its need for protection, use section 4.1.1 of this standard. To classify data in terms or its availability needs, use section 4.1.2 of this standard.

4.1.1 Classifying Data According to Protection Needs

Match any data that need to be classified to the one of the four categories which best describes its need for confidentiality and its risk profile. The four categories are Public, Internal, Sensitive, and Restricted.

4.1.1.1 Public Data - Data can be disclosed without restriction. Examples - Directories, Maps, Syllabi and Course Materials, de-identified data sets, etc.

4.1.1.2 Internal Data - Confidentiality of data is preferred, but information contained in data may be subject to open records disclosure. Examples - email correspondence, budget plans, employee EmplID, etc.

4.1.1.3 Sensitive Data - Data confidentiality required by law, policy, or contractual obligation.

Characteristics of Sensitive Data

  • Compliance Risk: Protection of data is mandated by law (e.g. FERPA) or required by private contract (e.g. non-disclosure agreements).
  • Reputation Risk: Loss of confidentiality or integrity will cause significant damage to UGA's reputation. For example, loss of social security numbers or defacement of the UGA website would likely be a news item that would appear in the media.
  • Other Risks: Loss of confidentiality that could cause harm to individuals such as UGA students, personnel, donors, and partners. Loss of confidentiality or integrity that would cause UGA to incur significant costs in response.
  • Treatment in Open Records Requests: Sensitive information is typically redacted from open records disclosures.

Examples of Sensitive Data

  • Student records and prospective student records (w/o Social Security Numbers)
  • Donor and alumni records
  • Critical infrastructure information (physical plant detail, IT systems information, system passwords, information security plans, etc.)
  • Research information related to sponsorship, funding, human subject, etc.
  • Information protected by non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) or similar private contracts
  • Law enforcement and investigative records
  • UGA ID Number (also known as the 81X Number)

4.1.1.4 Restricted Data - Restricted data requires privacy and security protections. Special authorization may be required for use and collection. Examples - data sets with individual Social Security Numbers (or last four of SSN), credit card transaction or cardholder data, patient health data, financial data, etc.

Characteristics of Restricted Data

  • Senior Vice President (SVP) Approval: UGA SVPs or their designees must authorize all storing, processing, and transmitting of Restricted Information.
  • Compliance Risk: Protection of information is mandated by law (HIPAA, GLBA) or required by private contract (PCI DSS).
  • Reputation Risk: Loss of confidentiality or integrity will cause significant damage to UGA's reputation.
  • Other Risks: Loss of the confidentiality or integrity of the information that could cause harm to individuals and cause the University to incur significant costs in response.
  • Treatment in Open Records Requests: Records with restricted information are typically not open for public inspection.

Examples of Restricted Data

  • Social Security Numbers (SSN) or last four numbers of an individual’s SSN
  • Financial information and account numbers including the full 16-digit UGACard Number
  • Payment card cardholder data
  • Protected health information

4.1.2 Classifying Data According to Availability Needs

Match any data that need to be classified according to availability needs to the one of the three categories which best describes its need for availability needs. The three categories are Supportive, High-Priority, and Critical.

4.1.2.1 Supportive Data - Supportive data is necessary for day-to-day operations, but is not critical to the University's or to a Department/Unit/College's mission or core functions. Examples - course materials, meeting minutes, workstation images, etc.

4.1.2.2 High-priority Data - Availability of data is necessary for departmental function. Destruction or temporary loss of data may have an adverse affect on college or departmental mission, but would not affect university-wide function.

4.1.2.3 Critical Data - Critical data has the highest need for availability. If the information is not available due to system downtime, modification, destruction, etc., the University's functions and mission would be impacted. Availability of this information must be rigorously protected.

Characteristics of Critical Data

  • Mission Risk: Short-term or prolonged loss of availability could prevent UGA from accomplishing its core functions or mission.
  • Health and Safety Risk: Loss of availabity may create health or safety risk for individuals. (e.g. emergency notification data, health data, etc.).
  • Compliance Risk: Availability of information is mandated by law (HIPAA, GLBA) or required by private contract.
  • Reputation Risk: Loss of data will cause significant damage to UGA's reputation.

Examples of Critical Data

  • Emergency notification/contact data
  • Health care data
  • Student records
4.2 Protection

See the table below for minimum standard protection requirements for each category of data when being used or handled in a specific context (e.g. Sensitive Data sent in an email message). Please note that the below protection standards are not intended to supersede any regulatory or contractual requirements for handling data. Some specific data sets, such as student records data, credit/debit card data, healthcare data, and financial account data, may have stricter requirements in addition to the minimum standard requirements listed below.

  Public Data Internal Data Sensitive Data Restricted Data
Collection and Use No protection requirements No protection requirements Limited to authorized uses as outlined in the UGA Privacy Policy.

Departments/Colleges that collect and/or use restricted data should participate in the Customer Information Security Program by reporting Sensitive servers to the EITS Office of Information Security.

University web pages that are used to collect sensitive data must include a link to the UGA Privacy Policy.
Limited to authorized uses as outlined in the UGA Privacy Policy.

Departments/Colleges that collect and/or use restricted data should participate in the Customer Information Security Program by reporting Restricted servers to the EITS Office of Information Security.

University web pages that are used to collect restricted data must include a link to the UGA Privacy Policy.

SSNs may not be used to identify members of the UGA community if there is a reasonable alternative.

SSNs shall not be used as a username or password.

SSNs shall not collected on unauthenticated individuals.

All credit/debit card uses must be approved by the UGA Bursar's Office.
Granting Access or Sharing No protection requirements Reasonable methods shall be used to ensure internal data is accessed by or shared with authorized individuals or individuals with a legitimate need to know. Access shall be limited to authorized University officials or agents with a legitimate academic or business interest and a need to know as outlined in the UGA Privacy Policy.

Per UGA Data Access Policy Requirements, all access shall be approved by an appropriate data owner and tracked in a manner sufficient to auditable.

Before granting access to external third parties, a contractual agreement outlining data processing, privacy and security responsibilities in a form approved by the Office of Legal Affairs and Office of Information Security shall be in place.
Access shall be limited to authorized University officials or agents with a legitimate academic or business interest and a need to know as outlined in the UGA Privacy Policy.

Per UGA Data Access Policy Requirements, all access shall be approved by an appropriate data owner and tracked in a manner sufficient to auditable.

Before granting access to external third parties, a contractual agreement outlining data processing, privacy and security responsibilities in a form approved by the Office of Legal Affairs and Office of Information Security shall be in place.
Disclosure, Public Posting, etc. No protection requirements Reasonable methods shall be used to ensure internal data is only disclosed to authorized individuals or individuals with a legitimate need to know. Sensitive data shall not be disclosed without consent.

Sensitive data may not be posted publicly.

Directory information can be disclosed without consent. However, per FERPA, individual students can opt out of directory information disclosure.
Not permitted unless required by law.
Electronic Display No protection requirements Reasonable methods shall be used to ensure internal data is only displayed to authorized individuals or individuals with a legitimate need to know. Only to authorized and authenticated users of a system. Restricted data shall be displayed only to authorized and authenticated users of a system.

Identifying numbers or account number shall be, at least partially, masked or redacted.
Open Records Requests Data can be readily provided upon request. However, individuals who receive a request must coordinate with UGA Open Records Office before providing data. Individuals who receive a request must coordinate with the UGA Open Records Office. Sensitive data is typically not subject to open records disclosure. However, some open records requests can be fulfilled by redacting sensitive portions of records. Individuals who receive a request must coordinate with the UGA Open Records Office. Restricted data is typically not subject to open records disclosure. However, some open records requests can be fulfilled by redacting sensitive portions of records. Individuals who receive a request must coordinate with the UGA Open Records Office.
Exchanging with Third Parties, Service Providers, Cloud Services, etc. No protection requirements Reasonable methods shall be used to ensure that the third party's responsibilities for confidentiality / privacy of the data are defined and documented. A contractual agreement outlining data processing, privacy and security responsibilities in a form approved by the Office of Legal Affairs and Office of Information Security shall be in place before exchanging data with the third party / service provider. A contractual agreement outlining data processing, privacy and security responsibilities in a form approved by the Office of Legal Affairs and Office of Information Security shall be in place before exchanging data with the third party / service provider.

Entering information into AI models or AI powered search engines (Bing, ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, etc.)

No protection requirements No protection requirements

Prohibited without express authorization of the university Data Steward accountable for access to the data per the UGA Data Access Policy.

A contractual agreement outlining data processing, privacy and security responsibilities in a form approved by the Office of Legal Affairs and Office of Information Security shall be in place before entering data into an AI model. 

Prohibited without express authorization of the university Data Steward accountable for access to the data per the UGA Data Access Policy.

A contractual agreement outlining data processing, privacy and security responsibilities in a form approved by the Office of Legal Affairs and Office of Information Security shall be in place before entering data into an AI model. 

Storing or Processing: Server Environment Servers that connect to the UGA Network shall comply with Minimum Security Standards for Networked Devices. Servers that connect to the UGA Network shall comply with Minimum Security Standards for Networked Devices. Servers shall comply with security requirements as outlined in the Minimum Security Standards for Sensitive Devices. Servers shall comply with security requirements as outlined in the Minimum Security Standards for Sensitive Devices.

Storing Credit/Debit card PAN data is not permitted.
Storing or Processing: Endpoint Environment (e.g. laptop, phone, desktop,tablet, etc.) Systems that connect to the UGA Network shall comply with Minimum Security Standards for Networked Devices. Systems that connect to the UGA Network shall comply with Minimum Security Standards for Networked Devices. Systems shall comply with security requirements as outlined in the Minimum Security Standards for Sensitive Devices. Systems shall comply with security requirements as outlined in the Minimum Security Standards for Sensitive Devices.

Storing Credit/Debit card PAN data is not permitted.

Storing restricted data on personally-owned devices is not permitted.
Storing on Removable Media (e.g. thumbdrives, CDs, tape, etc.) No protection requirements No protection requirements Sensitive data shall only be stored on removable media in an encrypted file format or within an encrypted volume. Not permitted unless required by law.

If required by law, data stored on removable media shall be encrypted and the media shall be stored in a physically secured environment. Storing restricted data on personally-owned media is not permitted.
Electronic Transmission No protection requirements No protection requirements Data shall be transmitted in either an encrypted file format or over a secure protocol or connection. Secure, authenticated connections or secure protocols shall be used for transmission of restricted data.
Email and other electronic messaging No protection requirements Reasonable methods shall be used to ensure internal data is only included in messages to authorized individuals or individuals with a legitimate need to know. Messages shall only be sent to authorized individuals with a legitimate need to know.

Messages shall be transmitted over a secure protocol or messages can be sent via a secure tool such as https://sendfiles.uga.edu.
Not permitted without express authorization or unless required by law.

If authorized, data shall only be included in messages within an encrypted file attachment or via authorized secure systems like https://sendfiles.uga.edu
Printing, mailing, fax, etc. No protection requirements Reasonable methods shall be used to ensure that printed materials are only distributed or available to authorized individuals or individuals with a legitimate need to know. Printed materials that include sensitive data shall only be distributed or available to authorized individuals or individuals with a legitimate need to know.

Access to any area where printed records with sensitive data are stored shall be limited by the use of controls (e.g. locks, doors, monitoring, etc.) sufficient to prevent unauthorized entry.
Printed materials that include restricted data shall only be distributed or available to authorized individuals or individuals with a legitimate need to know.

Access to any area where printed records with restricted data are stored shall be limited by the use of controls (e.g. locks, doors, monitoring, etc.) sufficient to prevent unauthorized entry.

Social Security Numbers shall not be printed on any card required to access services.

New processes requiring the printing of SSN on mailed materials shall not be established unless required by another state agency or a federal agency.
Disposal No protection requirements No protection requirements. Data shall be deleted and unrecoverable (e.g. eraser, zero-fiil, DoD multipass, etc.).

Physical media (e.g. paper, CD, tape, etc.) should be destroyed so that data on the media cannot be recovered or reconstructed.
Data shall be deleted and unrecoverable (e.g. eraser, zero-fiil, DoD multipass, etc.).

Physical media (e.g. paper, CD, tape, etc.) should be destroyed so that data on the media cannot be recovered or reconstructed.

5.0 Enforcement and Implementation

5.1 Roles and Responsibilities

Each University department/unit is responsible for implementing, reviewing and monitoring internal policies, practices, etc. to assure compliance with this standard.

The Office of Chief Information Officer is responsible for enforcing this standard.

5.2 Consequences and Sanctions

Non-compliance with these standards may incur the same types of disciplinary measures and consequences as violations of other University policies, including progressive discipline up to and including termination of employment, or, in the cases where students are involved, reporting of a Student Code of Conduct violation.

Any device that does not meet the minimum security requirements outlined in this standard may be removed from the UGA network, disabled, etc. as appropriate until the device can comply with this standard.

6.0 Exceptions

Exceptions may be granted in cases where security risks are mitigated by alternative methods, or in cases where security risks are at a low, acceptable level and compliance with minimum security requirements would interfere with legitimate academic or business needs. To request a security exception, contact the Office of Information Security at infosec@uga.edu.

7.0 References