CJIS 6.0 Urges Law Enforcement to Modernize Secure Access for Compliance and Usability

In 2024, the FBI released two major updates to the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Policy, raising the bar for data protection. Version 5.9.5 required multifactor authentication (MFA) for all access to criminal justice data, while Version 6.0 expanded oversight to include continuous monitoring and third-party risk management. Yet compliance has proven to be only half the battle. Recent data shows that 22% of public-sector breaches stemmed from credential abuse, most commonly involving enterprise-owned devices (30%) or personal devices (46%), highlighting the gap between technical compliance and real-world resilience.

For many agencies, meeting CJIS standards introduces new friction. Shared workstations demand repeated logins. Older applications resist integration with MFA tools. Granting and revoking vendor access consumes IT hours. Altogether, this results in delayed investigations, frustrated personnel, and security shortcuts that undermine the protections compliance is meant to ensure.

Whether an agency is still working toward compliance or has already implemented the latest CJIS requirements, the need for frictionless and secure access across all systems goes beyond meeting a mandate. A recent Smart Cities Dive article breaks down the key components of identity and access management (IAM) for mission-critical environments such as law enforcement, noting that what truly matters is having access controls that are both secure and usable in real-world conditions. Digital identity management offers that balance.

Solutions like passwordless authentication, frictionless MFA, third-party access, and automated audit monitoring tools can help agencies reduce friction while increasing confidence in their long-term compliance posture. Agencies can streamline authentication with proximity badges or biometrics, automate third-party access, and extend modern controls to legacy systems. These capabilities build audit-ready visibility while easing daily operations.

CJIS compliance sets the standard, but sustainable security depends on resilience and usability. When access is both secure and seamless, agencies strengthen trust, reduce risk, and empower those protecting public safety.

Learn more about how to prepare for CJIS mandates.