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Protection Levels for UC Institutional Information

Under the IS-3 Electronic Information Security policy, university data is classified in one of four categories, known as Protection Levels. For the complete classification guide on Protection Levels, including explanations of the classifications and additional examples, see the Classification of Information and IT Resources Guide. ITS has also created a data resource classification page for quick reference.

Protection Level	Impact of Disclosure	Examples
P4 - High	Institutional Information and related IT Resources whose unauthorized disclosure or modification could result in significant fines, penalties, regulatory action, or civil or criminal violations (Statutory).	Financial Records Credit Card, Financial Aid, Payroll Personally Identifiable Info (PII) Social Security Numbers Sensitive or Identifiable Research Data Human Subject, Genetic
P3 - Moderate	Institutional Information and related IT Resources whose unauthorized disclosure or modification could result in small to moderate fines, penalties or civil actions (Proprietary).	Student Education Records (FERPA) IT Security Info and Plans UC Personnel Records Export Controlled Research (ITAR) Attorney-Client Privileged Information
P2 - Low	Institutional Information and related IT Resources that may not be specifically protected by statute, regulations or other contractual obligations or mandates, but are generally not intended for public use or access (Internal).	Business records and documentation not containing P3 or P4 data email, calendar, meeting notes Research using publicly available data UC directory info (where no FERPA block is requested) Building Plans
P1 - Minimal	Public information or information intended to be readily obtainable by the public, but whose integrity is important and for which unauthorized modification is the primary protection concern (Public).	Hours of operation Parking regulations Course catalogs Press releases Public websites

P4 requires the most security controls and P1 requires a minimal set of controls. It is important to classify the information accurately so that appropriate compliance requirements can be identified. Under-classification may result in inadequate protections that could lead to data breaches. Classifications should be applied in compliance requirements as outlined in UC or campus policy, law, regulation or contract.

Contact the ITS Support Center if you need assistance with IT security or IT policy.