Utilizing ‘cloud’ technology for fighting crime becoming a possibility

some states are having issues complying with the FBI’s regulations, or are still determining whether or not they trust FBI information to stay safe in the cloud, as is the case with North Carolina. In order to utilize the FBI’s records, every person working for the cloud companies that might have access to the records would need to undergo state and federal background checks, as would the officers and police staff that would be conducting the checks. While ultimately ensuring that no one abuses the information at hand, it has been difficult for many departments to comply with the stringent requirements. For example, Michigan has been attempting to comply through cloud provider Microsoft for more than a year, but has struggled to ensure that all state records remain in complete confidentiality and that all personnel have been screened. Cloud companies, for their part, also have to sign security agreements and undergo regular audits, including checking security logs every week to ensure no unauthorized persons have accessed the information via the cloud. The companies are also prohibited from utilizing any of the databases’ information for any reason, including marketing or analytic purposes. Meanwhile, Indiana’s state police have been able to comply with all the regulations, and now have access to FBI records via laptops, tablets, and iPhone and Droid devices while on patrol.]]>