10 Criminal Justice Information (CJI) includes sensitive data collected, processed, and shared by law enforcement agencies, courts, and correctional institutions. This can include criminal history records, biometric data, investigative files, and digital evidence such as body camera footage. To protect this information, the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division publishes the CJIS Security Policy, which defines the technical, operational, and administrative safeguards required for organizations that store or access CJI. CJIS applies to: Law enforcement agencies Courts and correctional facilities State and local government entities Contractors and service providers with access to CJI Because storage systems house, replicate, and archive CJI, they are central to compliance. Whether deployed on premises, in a private cloud, or in a hosted environment, storage platforms must enforce encryption, access control, logging, and lifecycle safeguards aligned with CJIS requirements. This CJIS compliant storage checklist provides a structured framework for evaluating and designing storage environments that support policy alignment and audit readiness. 1. Governance and policy alignment checklist Before evaluating technical controls, confirm foundational governance elements are in place. ☐ Document CJIS scope for stored data Identify all data types classified as CJI. Map where CJI is stored (primary, backup, archive, test environments). Include structured and unstructured data (files, objects, logs, images, video). ☐ Map CJIS Security Policy sections to storage controls Align encryption, access control, auditing, and media protection requirements to specific storage features. Document how each requirement is met. Identify and document compensating controls where applicable. ☐ Define shared responsibility model (if applicable) Clarify responsibilities between agency and service provider. Confirm which party manages: Encryption keys User access provisioning Physical security Logging and monitoring ☐ Maintain written storage security policies Access control policy Encryption standards Media handling procedures Incident response procedures Policies should be version-controlled and periodically reviewed. 2. Encryption controls checklist Encryption is a central component of CJIS compliant storage. Controls must be enforceable and aligned with federal standards. ☐ Encrypt CJI in transit Enforce TLS for all client connections. Disable insecure protocols and ciphers. Use FIPS 140-2 or newer validated cryptographic modules. Document TLS configuration standards. ☐ Encrypt CJI at rest Enable encryption at rest for all storage pools containing CJI. Apply encryption consistently across: Primary storage Backup repositories Archive tiers Prevent administrators from disabling encryption without change control. ☐ Implement secure key management Centralize encryption key management. Restrict key access to authorized personnel only. Rotate keys according to defined policy. Log key creation, rotation, and deletion events. ☐ Validate FIPS compliance Confirm cryptographic modules are FIPS validated where required. Maintain documentation for audit purposes. Encryption settings should be tested and verified periodically, not assumed. 3. Identity and access management checklist CJIS requires strict identity and authentication controls to protect CJI. ☐ Enforce unique user identification Prohibit shared accounts. Integrate storage systems with enterprise identity providers (e.g., Active Directory or LDAP). Ensure service accounts are uniquely identifiable. ☐ Implement role-based access control (RBAC) Define roles aligned with job functions. Apply least-privilege principles. Restrict administrative privileges to a limited group. ☐ Enforce strong authentication Require complex passwords meeting CJIS standards. Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) for: Remote access Administrative accounts Apply session timeout controls. ☐ Conduct periodic access reviews Review user access at defined intervals. Remove access for terminated or transferred personnel promptly. Document review results. ☐ Restrict system-level access Limit direct storage node access. Use controlled management interfaces. Log all administrative access attempts. Access control should be enforced at both the storage layer and the identity layer. 4. Audit logging and monitoring checklist CJIS requires accountability through comprehensive logging. ☐ Enable detailed storage audit logs Logs should capture: Successful and failed login attempts Data access events Administrative actions Configuration changes Privilege escalations ☐ Ensure log integrity Protect logs from unauthorized modification. Restrict log deletion privileges. Consider immutable or tamper-resistant logging mechanisms. ☐ Synchronize time across systems Use trusted time sources (e.g., NTP). Ensure consistent timestamps across storage nodes and monitoring systems. ☐ Integrate with SIEM Export logs to a centralized security information and event management system. Monitor for anomalous access patterns. Define alert thresholds for suspicious activity. ☐ Retain logs per policy Establish log retention periods aligned with CJIS and agency requirements. Securely archive older logs. Document retention schedules. Audit capabilities should support both routine monitoring and forensic investigations. 5. Physical and environmental security checklist CJIS includes physical protection requirements for systems storing CJI. ☐ Secure data center access Restrict physical access to authorized personnel. Maintain access logs. Use badge access or equivalent controls. ☐ Monitor facility access Record visitor access. Escort non-authorized visitors. Retain visitor logs per policy. ☐ Implement environmental safeguards Fire suppression systems Climate control Power redundancy ☐ Validate cloud or hosting provider controls If storage is hosted: Confirm provider enforces physical security controls. Review third-party audit reports. Ensure CJIS Security Addendum requirements are met. Physical controls are as critical as logical controls for CJIS compliant storage. 6. Media protection and data lifecycle checklist CJIS requires strict handling of storage media and data throughout its lifecycle. ☐ Control physical media transport Track movement of drives or backup media. Use secure containers for transport. Maintain chain-of-custody documentation. ☐ Sanitize media before disposal or reuse Use approved sanitization methods. Document destruction or wiping procedures. Maintain records of decommissioned drives. ☐ Implement secure data deletion policies Define data retention timelines. Automate lifecycle policies where possible. Verify deletion of expired data. ☐ Apply immutability where required For digital evidence or records: Enable write-once-read-many (WORM) or object lock features. Prevent unauthorized deletion during retention periods. Lifecycle management should be policy-driven and auditable. 7. Backup and recovery checklist Backup systems storing CJI must meet the same security standards as primary storage. ☐ Encrypt backup data Encrypt backups at rest and in transit. Apply consistent encryption standards across environments. ☐ Restrict backup system access Limit administrative access to backup infrastructure. Log restore and recovery actions. ☐ Secure offsite storage Ensure physical protections align with CJIS requirements. Document third-party storage agreements if applicable. ☐ Test recovery procedures Conduct periodic recovery tests. Document results. Validate that restored data remains protected under CJIS controls. Backup environments are often overlooked but fall within compliance scope. 8. Network security checklist Storage systems must operate within a secure network architecture. ☐ Segment storage networks Isolate storage traffic from general-purpose networks. Limit access to approved subnets. ☐ Restrict external access Block unnecessary inbound connections. Use secure gateways or VPNs for remote access. ☐ Monitor network traffic Log storage-related network events. Detect anomalous patterns. ☐ Harden storage interfaces Disable unused services. Patch management interfaces regularly. Apply configuration baselines. Network design directly affects the exposure risk of CJI. 9. Personnel security checklist CJIS includes personnel requirements that affect storage operations. ☐ Conduct required background checks Ensure personnel with access to CJI complete required screenings. Maintain documentation of screening status. ☐ Train staff on CJIS requirements Provide security awareness training. Educate administrators on storage-specific responsibilities. Document training completion. ☐ Limit third-party access Grant access only where contractually authorized. Enforce least privilege for vendors and contractors. Personnel practices are an essential part of CJIS compliant storage operations. 10. Incident response and audit readiness checklist Storage environments must support rapid response to security incidents. ☐ Maintain incident response procedures Define escalation paths. Include storage-specific containment steps. Align procedures with CJIS reporting requirements. ☐ Preserve forensic evidence Ensure logs can be quickly retrieved. Prevent log tampering during investigations. Document evidence handling procedures. ☐ Conduct internal audits Periodically review storage configurations. Validate encryption and access controls. Document findings and remediation actions. ☐ Prepare audit documentation Maintain records of: Encryption configurations Access reviews Log retention policies Media destruction logs Training records Being audit-ready requires continuous documentation, not last-minute preparation. 11. Architecture evaluation checklist When selecting or reviewing a storage platform for CJI, confirm the following capabilities: ☐ Supports FIPS-validated encryption ☐ Integrates with enterprise identity systems ☐ Provides granular RBAC ☐ Generates detailed, exportable audit logs ☐ Supports immutability for evidence retention ☐ Enables centralized policy management ☐ Scales without weakening security controls ☐ Maintains consistent controls across multi-site deployments Architecture should simplify enforcement of CJIS controls rather than require extensive customization. Ongoing compliance maintenance checklist CJIS compliance is not static. Storage environments must evolve with policy updates and operational changes. ☐ Monitor CJIS Security Policy updates ☐ Review configurations after major upgrades ☐ Reassess access controls periodically ☐ Validate encryption settings during audits ☐ Test logging and monitoring workflows ☐ Document all configuration changes Continuous validation helps ensure CJIS compliant storage remains aligned over time. Final review: CJIS compliant storage validation Before concluding that storage is CJIS compliant, confirm: All CJI locations are identified. Encryption is consistently enforced. Access controls follow least-privilege principles. Logs are comprehensive, protected, and retained. Physical and media controls are documented. Personnel and incident response procedures are aligned with policy. CJIS compliant storage is achieved through coordinated technical, operational, and administrative controls. A structured checklist approach helps agencies and service providers demonstrate alignment with the CJIS Security Policy while maintaining secure, resilient, and scalable data environments.
