CNJ sets minimum IT standards for Brazilian notary offices

The National Justice Corregedor's Office recently published a new regulation that set minimum technology standards acceptable for the operation of notary offices in Brazil. This measure aims to ensure information security and citizen service quality, and came after an inspection in all Brazilian states, where the Corregedor detected that many notary offices operated without information security systems, had intermittent internet, and even counterfeit software. With Provision 74/2018 of August 1, 2018, the National Justice Corregedor, Minister João Otávio de Noronha, hopes to ensure greater security in handling information, as well as better standardization of processes, which will improve service quality and also facilitate the Corregedor's oversight. Notary offices will have up to 180 days from the date of the provision's publication to comply with the rules. The Corregedor divided notary offices into three categories, each with a list of technological requirements to be met per semester:

• "class 1": offices with revenue up to R$ 100,000;
• "class 2": offices with revenue up to R$ 500,000; and
• "class 3": offices with revenue exceeding R$ 500,000 per semester.

MINIMUM INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS: Among the new defined guidelines, the following stand out:

• Electronic address (email) of the unit for correspondence and access to the Malote Digital system;
• Technical room (data center) isolated from other environments, preferably by a physical masonry structure or, if not possible, by partitions. In both cases, with access control (lockable door) restricted to technical staff;
• Technical room with cooling compatible with the number of equipment and room size;
• Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) compatible with installed servers, with autonomy of at least 30 minutes;
• Storage device (storage), physical or virtual;
• Online backup service (cloud backup);
• Server with high availability system allowing resumption of service to the public within 15 minutes after a possible failure of the main server;
• Printers and scanners (multifunction devices);
• Switch for connecting internal equipment;
• Router to control internal and external connections;
• Licensed software for commercial use;
• Antivirus and anti-ransomware software.
• Proxy and Firewall implemented and active
• Database with good performance and storage space;
• Stable energy, properly grounded electrical grid, and minimum data communication link of 2, 4, and 10 megabits for classes 1, 2, and 3 respectively;
• Labor: at least 2 notary employees trained in operating the system and backups, or a contracted company providing technical maintenance service with support from at least 2 people for offices up to 500 thousand. And, for offices with revenue above 500 thousand per semester, at least 3 qualified employees.

Zamak can help your company comply with CNJ determinations. We have a team of specialized professionals for the IT infrastructure area and can perform a complete diagnosis of your notary's current structure and develop the best solution for your specific needs. Contact us and discover how we can help you ensure compliance with all the requirements of the CNJ provision. Source: CNJ 

Frequently asked questions

What is CNJ's Provision 74/2018 and why was it created?

Provision 74/2018, published on August 1, 2018 by National Justice Corregedor Minister João Otávio de Noronha, sets minimum information technology standards for the operation of notary offices in Brazil. It followed an inspection across every Brazilian state that found notary offices operating without information security systems, with intermittent internet, and even counterfeit software, and it aims to ensure information security and better citizen service quality.

What are the main IT requirements the CNJ demands from notary offices?

The provision divides notary offices into three classes based on semester revenue (up to R$100,000, up to R$500,000, and above R$500,000) and requires items such as an isolated technical room with access control and cooling, a UPS with at least 30 minutes of autonomy, cloud backup, a high-availability server able to resume service within 15 minutes after a failure, licensed software, antivirus and anti-ransomware protection, and active proxy and firewall. It also sets minimum data link speeds (2, 4, or 10 megabits depending on the class) and requires a trained technical team.

What is the compliance deadline, and how can a notary office prepare?

Notary offices have up to 180 days from the publication of Provision 74/2018 to comply with the CNJ's new rules. Zamak states it has a team specialized in IT infrastructure that can perform a complete assessment of a notary office's current setup and develop the solution needed to meet the CNJ's requirements.