Device Classification

Since January 2017, the University of Tennessee requires all UT-owned Internet-connected devices to be classified regarding all the information stored, viewed, or processed on this equipment. The end-user of a UT-owned computer has to fill out the classification survey once every 365 days. The Office of Innovative Technologies (OIT) has been tasked with performing these surveys. For more information, please see the following websites:

• Policy: IT0115 – Information and Computer System Classification
• Classification Site: https://classify.utk.edu/

If systems are not classified within a 30-day window, OIT will unregister them from the network.

The EECS IT staff maintains the network registration database for EECS computers to reflect the correct primary user of each network connected device in the department. This should be the person actually using the device rather than the faculty member who purchased it. The primary user will be the one responsible for classifying the information on the device.

When possible, the IT staff has assigned primary users to systems as follows:

1. Departmental systems (including lab systems, shared servers): assigned to the EECS IT staff
2. Research servers (e.g. systems purchased by a professor for use by their research group): assigned to the professor
3. Desktop and Laptop systems: assigned to the end-user, if known. Otherwise, assigned to the professor, if known

If you are the end-user of any UT-owned computer then the answer is almost certainly: yes. You will receive an email from OIT for every device that needs classification. Please read the messages carefully, do not ignore them. If systems are not classified within a 30-day window, OIT will unregister them from the network.

Log in to https://classify.utk.edu/ and see the list of systems that are currently assigned to you as the end-user. There will be two sections: “Devices Requiring Attention” are those that are currently within the 30-day window and you should have already received an email about these. “Devices Not Requiring Immediate Attention” are systems that will eventually require classification but are not within the 30-day window. Have a look at this and see if any of them do not seem right.

If you receive a classification survey email for a system you do not recognize, please contact the EECS IT Staff at eecs-ithelp@utk.edu and we will try to help you figure out the problem. Do not simply ignore the emails.

Classification survey emails will send you to https://classify.utk.edu. Be sure to verify the web address in your browser if you click on it from the email. Alternatively, you can go to this address directly. Legitimate survey emails will have this format:

Your device, foo.eecs.utk.edu, is registered for your use on the UT network and it is time for you to complete the annual classification survey. UT Policy IT0115 requires that all UT owned devices be classified according to the type of data that is stored or processed on it.

The classification survey is available at classify.utk.edu. The survey will ask you several questions regarding your usage of this computer.

Your survey must be completed by XX-XX-XXXX, or your network registration will be removed within 24 hours of its expiration. If this is your personally owned device, please contact the OIT HelpDesk to update the record.

If you have any questions about this process or are concerned about the validity of this message, please contact the OIT HelpDesk at (865) 974-9900.

Thanks.

OIT HelpDesk