Categorizing confidential documents and information on the basis of confidentiality is an important part of information life-cycle. Once the information has been classified, the information can be stored and / or published on a suitable place, such as a network disk, a local disk of a computer, external recorders, an information system or a cloud service. The owner and / or processor of the data is responsible for classifying the data.

Act on the Openness of Government Activities 24 § states what information and/or documents are classified information. See the data classification and secure storing instruction for more information on what confidential information is.

The purpose of the data classification and storage model is to clarify where data can be published and stored. The classification template allows you to identify which category your data belongs to. For example in a research project, which does not deal with classified information or sensitive personal data, the information is confidential. Once the data category has been identified you can check the material storage table for the locations where this data can be securely stored or published.

Classification model

Public information

There are no restrictions on viewing the information.
Note. Copyright must be considered with every publications. Copyright means the final exclusive right of the author possible on the basis of his work. All others do not have the right to use the work without the author's permission.
Examples of public information include press releases, course information, research publications, public documents, and public websites.

Internal or limited use information

The information can be viewed by Metropolia staff and students
For example, internal announcements, teaching materials produced and acquired for internal use, instructions, memos, and materials licensed to the organization.

Confidential information

The data can be viewed and processed by each member of the relevant group (including the student, e.g. in research projects)
For example, unfinished credit or projects

Classified or secret information

The information can only be viewed and processed by specifically authorized persons
Exam answers and other tests, including various assignments and examinations, as well as grading marks. Note. however, grades and scores are public
Sensitive personal information, which includes;
Information on the verbal assessment of a student's personal characteristics
Information on the person's state of health, disability, health care or social care clientele or rehabilitation (e.g. applications and decisions on special arrangements for studies)
Information concerning the person's annual income or total assets, or the income and assets on which the aid or benefit is based, or otherwise describe his financial situation

Three different categories are used in the data storage and publication table. Allowed, allowed with limitations and not allowed.

Allowed means that data in that category may be stored and / or published in the location of that column.
Allowed with limitations means that certain restrictions, such as restrictions on access rights, must be taken into account when storing and / or publishing information. For example, if exam results are stored in Moodle, the permissions must be restricted so that the data cannot be seen by anyone other than the data handler (teacher).
Not allowed means that the data may not be stored or published at all in the location of that column.

Note! Copyright must be taken into account in all publications. Copyright means the author's initial exclusive right to decide on the use of his work. Meaning others do not have the right to use the work without the author's permission.

Data storage and processing on network disks and the computer's local hard disk, as well as external recorders

Action	Public information	Internal or limited use information	Confidential information	Classified/Secret Information	Note
P:	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed with limitations	Not Allowed	Project manager can make request to helpdesk to create folder that is only accessible for the given users.
S:	Allowed	Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed	Open to anyone, anyone can create files for temporary storage.
T:	Allowed	Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed	Used for sharing larger files that can’t be shared through OMA. These include large video files, tutorial files etc. Students have read only access and the staff have full access.
U:	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed with limitations	Allowed with limitations	The PUB folder on this drive is open to all members of staff. The PRIV folder is only accessible to certain named persons. New PRIV folder can be request via helpdesk.
W:	Allowed	Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed	Used for applications that can’t be run directly from network drives. Users have read only rights.
Z:	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	The Z network drive is a secure storage location for staff. This drive is regularly backed up.
\\share-courses	Allowed	Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed
\\share-archive	Allowed	Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed
Work computer’s local hard disk or memory	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed with limitations	Data stored on the computer's hard disk or memory will not be backed up by IT Services. Instead, the responsibility for backups lies solely with the owner of the computer, unlike with network disks. For this reason, data should not be stored or kept solely in the local memory of the computer. If data is lost from the device, it cannot be recovered without a backup. The hard disk is suitable for temporarily storing sensitive information, such as recording an interview on Zoom. After temporary storage, it's recommended to move the data to your personal home drive or another platform that allows for secure storage of sensitive data.
Save to phone or tablet (security code must be enabled on the device)	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed with limitations	Not Allowed
External memory devices (memory sticks, hard disks, CDs)	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed with limitations	Allowed with limitations	Confidential & Classified information must be password protected in external recorders.
Public computer or home computer	Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed	Public computers or a device shared by the family is not secure enough to process sensitive information. A common username on a home computer does not prevent other family members from accessing data stored on the computer, but family members should have separate usernames to use the computer. If the computer has separate user IDs, then the storage practices of the student's personal computer's hard disk apply to the use of the computer.
The hard drive/storage space of the student's personal computer, which is not shared	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed with limitations	Data stored on the computer's hard disk or memory will not be backed up by IT Services. Instead, the responsibility for backups lies solely with the owner of the computer, unlike with network disks. For this reason, data should not be stored or kept solely in the local memory of the computer. If data is lost from the device, it cannot be recovered without a backup. The hard disk is suitable for temporarily storing sensitive information, such as recording an interview on Zoom. After temporary storage, it's recommended to move the data to your personal home drive or another platform that allows for secure storage of sensitive data. After transferring the data, promptly delete the temporary information from your device.

Data storage and processing in information systems and cloud services

Action	Public information	Internal or limited use information	Confidential information	Classified information	Note
Public www-websites	Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed
Oma.Metropolia website (intranet)	Allowed	Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed	In addition to the staff, students also read Intranet.
Peppi	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed
Amme	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed
Moodle	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed with limitations	The information can only be viewed and processed by specifically authorized persons.
HR-system	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed with limitations	The information can only be viewed and processed by specifically authorized persons.
Metroarch	Allowed	Allowed with limitations	Allowed with limitations	Allowed with limitations	Metropolia has its own server Metroarch, which is intended especially for storing and processing sensitive data from RDI-projects. Access rights can be granted to the material on the server for project employees both inside and outside of Metropolia.
Google products: Drive, Classroom, Blogger, Docs, Meet, Sites, Photos, Slides, Form	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Not Allowed	Note! Google product family includes several applications that are subject to the same data storage and processing guidelines as the listed services.
Microsoft 365 products: OneDrive, Onenote, Sites, Stream, Teams, Planner, Stream, Whiteboard, Sharepoint, Yammer	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Not Allowed	Note! Microsoft product family includes several applications that are subject to the same data storage and processing guidelines as the listed services.
Promid	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Not Allowed
Zoom	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed with limitations	All personal interviews that are going to be recorded should be done by using ZOOM program only.
Information and case management software	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed
Wihi	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Wihi is a system for managing and communicating the thesis process.
E-form	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed
HelpDesk	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Not Allowed
ARC-system	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Not Allowed
Youtube	Allowed	Allowed with limitations	Not Allowed	Not Allowed
Social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok	Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed	Note! The same data storage and processing guidelines apply to all social media channels.

Sending of material

Action	Public information	Internal or limited use information	Confidential information	Classified information	Note
Metropolia e-mail internal communication	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed
Metropolia e-mail external communication	Allowed	Allowed with limitations	Allowed with limitations	Allowed with limitations	You should use the secure mail solution whenever you send emails that contain personal data, sensitive data or otherwise confidential data if the recipient email address is outside Metropolia.
Letter	Allowed with limitations	Allowed with limitations	Allowed with limitations	Allowed with limitations	The contents of the letter post must not appear outside the letter

Printing of material and disposal of papers and other material

Action	Public information	Internal or limited use information	Confidential information	Classified information	Note
Printing of materials	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed
Paper material disposal, normal trash bin	Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed
Paper material disposal secure trash bin	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	Allowed	All confidential and classified paper documents should be disposed in security trash bins.

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