Before electronic media can be disposed of, what is the proper action to take with FBI CJIS data?

The appropriate action before disposing of electronic media containing FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) data is to properly sanitize it. Sanitization involves the process of removing sensitive data from the device to ensure that it cannot be reconstructed or retrieved by unauthorized individuals. This is crucial in protecting sensitive information related to criminal justice and law enforcement, as the data could be misused if it falls into the wrong hands.

Proper sanitization methods may include physical destruction, overwriting the data with random patterns, or using specialized software to ensure the data is irretrievable. This aligns with the FBI CJIS Security Policy, which mandates stringent controls and procedures for handling, storing, and disposing of such sensitive information.

Keeping it as a backup does not address the need for secure disposal, while selling the media would pose a significant risk of exposing sensitive data. Transferring it to another agency could be permissible in specific contexts, but it still requires appropriate sanitization before doing so to ensure data security. Thus, properly sanitizing electronic media is the only correct action to take in the context of handling FBI CJIS data before disposal.