'In the past few years, threats in cyberspace have risen dramatically. The
policy of the United States is to protect against the debilitating disruption
of the operation of information systems for critical infrastructures
and, thereby, help to protect the people, economy, and national security
of the United States.We must act to reduce our vulnerabilities to these
threats before they can be exploited to damage the cyber systems supporting
our Nation’s critical infrastructures and ensure that such disruptions
of cyberspace are infrequent, of minimal duration, manageable, and cause
the least damage possible. Securing cyberspace is an extraordinarily
difficult strategic challenge that requires a coordinated and focused
effort from our entire society—the federal government, state and
local governments, the private sector, and the American people.'
George
W. Bush
InfraGard is a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
program that began in the Cleveland Field Office in 1996. It
was a local effort to gain support from the information technology
industry and academia for the FBI’s investigative efforts
in the cyber arena. The program expanded to other FBI Field Offices,
and in 1998 the FBI assigned national program responsibility
for InfraGard to the former National Infrastructure Protection
Center
(NIPC) and to the Cyber Division in 2003. InfraGard and the FBI
have developed a relationship of trust and credibility in the
exchange of information concerning various terrorism, intelligence,
criminal,
and security matters.
InfraGard
is an information sharing and analysis effort serving the interests
and combining the knowledge base of a wide range of members.
At its most basic level, InfraGard is a partnership between
the FBI and the private sector. InfraGard is an association
of businesses, academic institutions, state and local law enforcement
agencies, and other participants dedicated to sharing information
and intelligence to prevent hostile acts against the United
States. InfraGard Chapters are geographically linked with FBI
Field Office territories. Each InfraGard Chapter has an FBI
Special Agent Coordinator assigned to it, and the FBI Coordinator
works closely with Supervisory Special Agent Program Managers
in the Cyber Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
While under
the direction of NIPC, the focus of InfraGard was cyber infrastructure
protection. After September 11, 2001 NIPC expanded its efforts
to include physical as well as cyber threats to critical infrastructures.
InfraGard’s mission expanded accordingly.
In March
2003, NIPC was transferred to the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS), which now has responsibility for Critical Infrastructure
Protection (CIP) matters. The FBI retained InfraGard as an
FBI sponsored program, and will work with DHS in support of
its CIP mission, facilitate InfraGard’s continuing role
in CIP activities, and further develop InfraGard’s ability
to support the FBI’s investigative mission, especially
as it pertains to counterterrorism and cyber crimes.
Goals & Objectives
The goal of InfraGard is to promote ongoing dialogue and timely communication
between members and the FBI. InfraGard members gain access to information that
enables them to protect their assets and in turn give information to government
that facilitates its responsibilities to prevent and address terrorism and other
crimes.
The relationship
supports information sharing at national and local levels and
its objectives are as follows:
- Increase
the level of information and reporting between InfraGard
members and the FBI on matters related to counterterrorism,
cyber crime and other major crime programs.
- Increase
interaction and information sharing among InfraGard members
and the FBI regarding threats to the critical infrastructures,
vulnerabilities, and interdependencies.
- Provide
members value-added threat advisories, alerts, and warnings.
- Promote
effective liaison with local, state and federal agencies,
to include the Department of Homeland Security.
- Provide
members a forum for education and training on counterterrorism,
counterintelligence cyber crime and other matters relevant
to informed reporting of potential crimes and attacks on
the nation and U.S. interests.
Local
Chapter Activities
Each FBI Field Office has a Special Agent Coordinator who gathers interested
companies of various sizes from all industries to form a chapter. Any company
can join InfraGard. Local executive boards govern and share information within
the membership. Chapters hold regular meetings to discuss issues, threats and
other matters that impact their companies. Speakers from public and private agencies
and the law enforcement communities are invited. The following illustrates additional
activities that local chapters may offer:
- Training
and education initiatives
- A local
newsletter
- A Contingency
Plan for using alternative systems in the event of a successful
large scale attack on the information infrastructure
InfraGard
Board of Directors
InfraGard members are represented nationally by an elected board of seven representatives
called the InfraGard Board of Directors. Elections are held annually at the InfraGard
National Congress for voluntary two-year terms. The Board is responsible for
representing the membership in the partnership with the FBI. They conduct weekly
conference calls to address a variety of issues that face the organization. Board
members travel to various chapter activities and attend conferences promoting
InfraGard and other issues pertinent to the program.
The Board
established several committees to address issues such as membership,
incorporation, and partnerships with other private sector associations/organizations.
Special Interest Groups (SIGs) have also been established to
meet the challenges America faces in protecting against criminal,
terrorist, and intelligence threats. One such SIG involves
InfraGard, the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST), the Small Business Administration, and the FBI.
InfraGard
Secure Web Site
The InfraGard secure website provides members with information about recent intrusions,
research related to critical infrastructure
How
to Join InfraGard
i) Find a chapter near you
All InfraGard members are associated with a local chapter. There is no 'National'
membership. Visit the chapters
page to find a chapter near you.
ii)
Understand...
InfraGard is an organization dedicated to the protection of the United States
and the American people. In order to maintain a level of trust within the membership,
all applicants undergo a background check performed by the FBI (for this reason
InfraGard membership is currently limited to United States citizens). Applications
are then screened according to a defined criteria and then passed to the local
chapter for final acceptance (individual chapters may have more strict criteria).
Along with
your InfraGard membership comes great responsibility. We value
active members who are willing to devote their time, effort
and talent to help build this organization and achieve our
goals of protecting the American people. You will be a representative
of the nation's largest volunteer organization dedicated to
critical infrastructure protection.
Finally,
before you fill out your application, please read the InfraGard
Code of Ethics and browse the other Policies
and Procedures (particularly the Bylaws
of the InfraGard National Members Alliance). As a member
of InfraGard, you will be expected to abide by these guidelines.
iii))
The application process
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply at a local
chapter meeting. Chapter coordinators, leaders and members
can help answer questions about InfraGard membership and the
application process.
To make application
processing easier, typed applications are required.
To
fill out an application:
- Open the Membership
Application (in PDF
format )
- Read the
application completely before filling it out
- Print
out your completed application
- Sign
and date page four (4) of the application
- Present
your completed application, as well as photo identification,
(for verification purposes) to a chapter coordinator.
NOTE: Handwritten applications or PO Boxes will not be accepted.
Once submitted,
your application will be processed as quickly as possible.
You will be notified of your InfraGard membership status. While
your application is being processed, you are encouraged to
attend open chapter meetings.
InfraGard
Qualified Substitutes for Records Check
The following
United States Government-issued Security Clearances are Qualified
Substitutes for the records check required for InfraGard Membership:
- Confidential
- Secret
- Top Secret
An InfraGard
Applicant/Member may submit evidence of their possession of
one of the above clearances to expedite the initial processing
and periodic renewal of their InfraGard Membership.
InfraGard
Benefits & Services
Why should
you become an InfraGard member?
- FBI Certified
and Accredited System
- Approved
for sensitive but unclassified information
- Accessible
from any internet connection
- VPN Technology
- No cost
to user
- VPN software
provided to user
- Secure
e-mail communication
- Host
based virus scanning of e-mail
- Secure
online information sharing environment: Library articles,
Periodicals, DHS Alerts and Advisories
InfraGard
Links
Other useful Links
Some material was acquired or derived from the National InfraGard
Program & its
affiliated InfraGard Chapter resources. In all cases, its redistribution
complies with this InfraGard Code of Ethics. Where practical,
the materials integrated here are used with permission.
The source material may be copyrighted and all rights are retained by the original
author/publisher. The information is provided only for non-profit research
and educational purposes.
Reproduction of this material is encouraged; however copies may
not be sold. Please cite InfraGard(TM) & www.iwar.org.uk as
this information's source. Copyright 2000-2004, www.InfraGard.net,
Washington-DC.
Note: For more information on the InfraGard Program, please contact your
region's InfraGard chapter coordinator.
For information on the National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC), please
visit the NIPC website or
inquire via e-mail at nipc@fbi.gov
Last modified:
15 November, 2005
by Wanja Eric Naef
