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FBI's CJIS demystified: Best practices for passwords, MFA & access control. Imagine your organization has just won a contract to handle sensitive law-enforcement data – you might be a cloud provider, a software vendor, or an analytics firm. It won’t be long before CJIS is top of mind. You know the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Security Policy governs how criminal histories, fingerprints, and investigation files must be protected, but beyond that, it all feels a bit opaque. Whether you’re a veteran security pro or new to the world of criminal-justice data, understanding CJIS compliance is critical. We’ll start by exploring the origin and purpose of CJIS: why it exists, and why it matters to every organization that comes anywhere near criminal-justice information. Then we’ll pay special attention to the pillars of identity (passwords, multifactor authentication, and strict access controls) and how to embed those controls seamlessly into your environment. What is CJIS? CJIS traces its roots to the late 1990s, when the FBI consolidated various state and local criminal databases into a single, nationwide system. Today, it serves as the nerve center for sharing biometric data, criminal histories, and tactical intelligence across federal, state, local, and tribal agencies. At its core, the CJIS Security Policy exists to ensure that every party touching this data (government or private contractor alike) adheres to a uniform standard of security. When you think “CJIS,” think “unbreakable chain of custody,” from the moment data leaves a patrol car’s mobile terminal until it’s archived in a forensic lab. Who needs to comply? You might assume CJIS concerns only police departments, as it’s the FBI’s policy. In reality, the net is much wider: Bottom line: if your systems ever see fingerprints, rap sheets, or dispatch logs, CJIS applies. Secure your Active Directory passwords with Specops Password Policy Verizon’s Data Breach Investigation Report found stolen credentials are involved in 44.7% of breaches.    Effortlessly secure Active Directory with compliant password policies, blocking 4+ billion compromised passwords, boosting security, and slashing support hassles! Key requirements CJIS touches many domains (physical security, personnel background checks, incident response) but its beating heart is identity and access management. When the FBI audits your environment, they want to know three things: Who accessed what? How did they prove who they were? And were they allowed to see it? Let’s walk through the story: Consequences of non-compliance Picture this: a breached set of credentials leaves a CJIS database open to the internet. A hacker exploits it, meaning fingerprints and criminal histories of thousands are compromised overnight. The fallout is swift: Get CJIS right with third party tools Compliance isn’t just about ticking boxes. it’s about embedding security deeply into your processes, so you can prove it at audit time and fend off attacks day to day. Here’s how Specops can simplify your CJIS journey: These solutions share a common theme: they dovetail with your existing Active Directory estate, minimize administrative overhead, and give you clear, auditable evidence of CJIS-compliant controls. Want to know Specops products could fit in with your organization? Get in touch and we’ll arrange a demo. Sponsored and written by Specops Software.