SkyNorth – CJI Data Protection for Microsoft 365 (CJIS‑Aligned)

The SkyNorth Approach

As local governments expand their use of Microsoft 365 across departments, ensuring proper data protection and segmentation for Criminal Justice Information (CJI) has become a critical priority. While Microsoft provides the tools, policies, and controls required to support secure use of a single tenant for both criminal justice and non‑criminal justice workloads, the practical implementation of CJIS Security Policy aligned controls is often unclear. To address this gap, SkyNorth has developed a set of best practices tailored to local government environments. These practices are designed to help agencies protect CJI in accordance with CJIS Security Policy requirements, while enabling secure collaboration across departments within a single Microsoft 365 tenant. When fully implemented, these controls support CJIS audit readiness and establish a strong foundation for data governance. This approach also enables responsible AI adoption by ensuring CJI‑labeled data is excluded from Microsoft Copilot indexing and responses, reducing the risk of unintended data exposure.

SkyNorth recommends that any local government using a single Microsoft 365 tenant to host both CJI and non‑CJI data consider adopting these best practices. Doing so helps mitigate risk, improve visibility, and ensure sensitive criminal justice data remains secure and appropriately segmented.

What to Expect

• Discovery & Assessment: Focused planning sessions to assess your environment, review where sensitive exists, and establish clear protection goals
• Sensitive Data Discovery: Identify and document where CJI resides across SharePoint, OneDrive, Exchange, Teams, and other Microsoft 365 workloads
• CJI Data Labeling: Configure and apply CJI‑specific sensitivity labels, encryption, and protection settings aligned with CJIS Security Policy requirements
• Access Controls: Implement Restricted Access Controls and Information Barriers to limit access to CJI and enforce separation from non‑criminal justice data
• Copilot & AI Safeguards: Configure and validate controls to ensure CJI is excluded from Copilot indexing, grounding, and responses
• Knowledge Transfer: Hands‑on training and documentation to ensure your team understands how to maintain and extend CJI protections over time

Timeline

• Discovery & Assessment: Week 1
  Kickoff and Sensitive Data Discovery
• Configuration & Labeling: Weeks 2-3
  Configure data protection controls and apply CJI labels
• Knowledge Transfer & Wrap-Up: Week 4
  Review configuration, deliverables, and next steps

Outcomes & Deliverables

• Data Discovery Report: A clear inventory of where sensitive & CJI data resides
• Custom Sensitivity Label Framework: Tailored labeling and encryption policies designed specifically for CJI
• Access Control Blueprint: Documented Restricted Access Controls and Information Barriers to isolate CJI
• Copilot & AI Safeguard Implementation: Verified configurations ensuring CJI is excluded from Copilot interactions
• Comprehensive Data Protection Roadmap: Strategic and actionable recommendations for expanding protection, automation, and governance
• Knowledge Transfer Workshop: Hands‑on training and documentation to empower IT and security teams

*SkyNorth does not certify CJIS compliance but helps agencies implement controls aligned with the FBI CJIS Security Policy.

Why SkyNorth?

SkyNorth Software is a team of former Microsoft engineers and certified cloud experts delivering secure, high‑impact Microsoft 365 and Azure solutions. We help IT leaders reduce risk, strengthen identity and data security, modernize infrastructure, and accelerate cloud‑native transformation to maximize the value of your Microsoft investment. SkyNorth brings deep technical expertise, proven delivery frameworks, and flexible engagement models to support your team and advance your strategic initiatives.

Let's get Started

Ready to secure your CJIS data and simplify compliance? Click Contact Me today to schedule your complementary discovery session and unlock expert guidance for protecting sensitive information in Microsoft 365!