What Is a SCIF Room? Rules, Requirements, Uses, & More

Organizations that deal with highly sensitive information must concern themselves with the possibility of eavesdropping. An attacker can potentially gain access to data by analyzing radio frequency (RF) signals and spurious electromagnetic emissions. Such attacks circumvent network security, encryption, and other cybersecurity countermeasures, enabling eavesdroppers to reproduce screens, record keystrokes, and capture data.

To protect against such activity, the U.S. military and national security and intelligence agencies utilize SCIFs.

What Is a SCIF?

SCIF stands for Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility. It is a room constructed to U.S. government standards to prevent outside surveillance and the interception of highly sensitive information. It is designed to facilitate the handling of sensitive compartmented information (SCI), which involves intelligence sources and processes.

Organizations that develop and test software for the federal government are required to protect SCI in a manner consistent with SCIF specifications. However, building out and maintaining a SCIF is expensive.

SCIF Room Rules, Requirements, and Uses

In the broadest sense, a SCIF is a room that does not allow visual, auditory, or electronic eavesdropping. SCIFs are often used as a meeting place for people but may also be designed to protect electronic data. Building a SCIF room takes careful planning. You must consider the use case and conform to an array of SCIF requirements.

How SCIFs Are Used

A SCIF may be set up in government buildings, private residences or hotel rooms, or onboard aircraft or ships. In some cases, an entire building is a SCIF in which all but the foyer is secure. SCIFs may be permanent, such as the White House Situation Room, or temporary structures set up as needed.

Typically, only individuals with the appropriate security clearances are allowed to enter a SCIF. If other personnel are given access, they must surrender all electronic devices and are not allowed to view classified information.

SCIF Requirements

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which oversees the intelligence community, has developed strict guidelines for the security and technical aspects of SCIFs. The SCIF manual (found on dni.gov) covers everything from the materials used to block sounds and signals to protocols for physical security.

SCIFs should minimize the use of windows to prevent an outsider from seeing in. Acoustic materials must prevent conversations from penetrating the walls, or “white noise” speakers may be used to mask conversations.

From an electronic perspective, SCIFs must have access controls, intrusion detection systems, and data communications that meet the highest security standards. The SCIF must also use metallic barriers to block RF signals and spurious electromagnetic emissions and filter the power coming into the room.

Enconnex Can Help You Meet SCIF Requirements

When a SCIF is needed to protect electronic data, it may make more sense to use a specially designed server enclosure. Rather than going to the expense of building out a SCIF room, data centers can add more enclosures as needed to meet growing requirements.

The Enconnex DefenseShield RF shielded cabinet delivers military-grade performance for general government applications at E3 test facilities. Tested, approved, and implemented by government agencies, internationally accredited labs, and communications companies, DefenseShield is the highest-quality and most secure hardened enclosure for high-security environments.

Features at a glance:

• Made from aerospace-grade shielded aluminum to block interference and limit RF signal leakage
• Provides 85dB of attenuation at frequencies from 1MHz to 10GHz
• 10 powerful, long-life fans provide 235 CFM of airflow each.
• Can be configured to meet various connectivity and power requirements
• Provides 42U of usable space in a 45U cabinet (customizable)
• Supports up to 1500 pounds of equipment (static load) yet weighs just 375 pounds
• Features a standard footprint for integrating into any data center environment

The Enconnex DefenseShield RF shielded cabinet meets strict security and regulatory requirements for isolating sensitive data at the server rack level. Contact us to discuss how DefenseShield can protect your IT equipment more cost-effectively than a SCIF.