What is the CJIS Security Policy?

The CJIS Security Policy is a set of security requirements published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to protect Criminal Justice Information (CJI) throughout its lifecycle. It provides guidance for the creation, viewing, modification, transmission, dissemination, storage, and destruction of CJI, helping criminal justice agencies and authorized partners protect sensitive information.

The policy applies to criminal justice agencies, noncriminal justice agencies, contractors, private entities, vendors, and other authorized parties that access CJI or operate in support of criminal justice services and information. Its objective is to establish consistent security practices that help reduce the risk of unauthorized access, data breaches, and misuse of criminal justice information.

What does the CJIS Security Policy require?

The Policy defines administrative, technical, and physical safeguards that organizations must implement when handling CJI. While the specific requirements evolve with policy updates, the framework focuses on securing users, devices, networks, and information throughout the data lifecycle.

Common security requirements include:

• Strong authentication and access control.
• Security awareness training for authorized personnel.
• Encryption of CJI during transmission and, where applicable, at rest.
• Device, media, and physical security controls.
• Audit logging and accountability.
• Incident response and security event reporting.
• Risk management and regular security assessments.

Organizations should review the latest policy documentation to ensure compliance with current requirements.

Why is the CJIS Security Policy important?

The Policy provides a consistent security baseline for protecting sensitive criminal justice information across agencies and authorized partner organizations. It helps reduce cybersecurity risks, improve accountability, and support secure information sharing between authorized entities.

Failure to meet th policy requirements can result in restricted access to CJIS systems, contractual consequences, or other compliance actions determined by the relevant CJIS authorities.

CJIS Security Policy vs. CJIS compliance

Understanding this distinction helps organizations focus on implementing security controls rather than treating compliance as a one-time project.

How Hexnode supports organizations working toward CJIS requirements

Hexnode UEM helps organizations strengthen endpoint security practices. These practices support many technical safeguards described in the CJIS Security Policy. From a centralized console, administrators can enforce password and device security policies, deploy certificates, and manage operating system updates. They can also configure encryption settings supported by the operating system and enforce compliance policies. Finally, they can deploy and manage applications and remotely manage supported endpoints.

While Hexnode does not certify or guarantee CJIS compliance, its centralized endpoint management capabilities can help organizations implement and maintain security controls that contribute to broader policy requirements.