With cybersecurity threats on the rise, the private sector is taking a cue from national security protocol to protect corporate secrets, investing in highly protected SCIFs, or Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities.
What happens in a SCIF stays in a SCIF—and has ever since the concept of the “war room” originated during World War II. Back then, the primary goal was to prevent eavesdropping or intrusion into an enclosed area where highly sensitive military plans needed to be discussed freely. More recently, after 9/11, the U.S. intelligence community put forth a very specific directive about the physical construction requirements for SCIFs, and has since also updated requirements to spell out how to ensure maximum cybersecurity.
Today, demand for rooms that meet the requirements for SCIF designation is growing from the government and private sector alike.
“Secrecy in design and construction is mandatory in SCIF,” says Chris Gordon, National Director and Senior Vice President of JLL’s Project and Development Services Group for the Americas. “When we work with government agencies, we’re not even allowed to mention the location. Place names are purposefully kept non-descript, like the ‘controlled area,’ or the ‘classified area,'” he says.
Private companies are increasingly seeing the benefits too—especially those working in fields whose success is dependent on continually out-innovating their competitors. “The rooms can be used in many ways once built, from proposal writing and strategy sessions, to hands-on R&D and product testing,” says Gordon. “They can even be portable. But they all give companies piece of mind that work and discussions taking place inside the room are completely confidential.”