| The purpose of this article is to familiarize individuals | | | | exchange of information concerning various terrorism, |
| with InfraGard, which is an organization whose | | | | intelligence, criminal, and security matters.InfraGard Goal |
| purpose is to help protect "critical United States | | | | The goal of InfraGard is to promote communication |
| infrastructures". This article will describe the | | | | between members and the FBI. InfraGard members |
| organization, its mission and goals, and how individuals | | | | gain access to information that enables them to |
| and organizations can become involved with their | | | | protect their assets and in turn give information to |
| work. The "2005 FBI Computer Crime Survey" | | | | government that helps it to prevent and address |
| indicated that 90% of organizations are not familiar | | | | terrorism and other crimes.What Does InfraGard Do? |
| with InfraGard.About InfraGard | | | | InfraGard is an alliance between the FBI and the |
| InfraGard is a partnership between the FBI (Federal | | | | private sector (businesses, academic institutions, state |
| Bureau of Investigation), and the private sector. The | | | | and local law enforcement agencies, and other |
| mission of InfraGard is "...to improve and extend | | | | participants). InfraGard is an association dedicated to |
| information sharing between private industry and the | | | | sharing both information and intelligence with the goal |
| government, particularly the FBI, when it comes to | | | | of preventing hostile acts against the United |
| critical national infrastructures" (Source: InfraGard web | | | | States.InfraGard Organization |
| site). President Clinton defined "critical national | | | | InfraGard is organized into chapters that are |
| infrastructures" in 1998 in the following way - "Critical | | | | geographically linked with FBI Field Offices. Each |
| infrastructures are those physical and cyber-based | | | | InfraGard Chapter has an associated FBI Special |
| systems essential to the minimum operations of the | | | | Agent Coordinator who helps to form the chapter and |
| economy and government. These systems are so | | | | coordinate activities.InfraGard chapters hold regular |
| vital, that their incapacity or destruction would have a | | | | meetings where members discuss issues, threats, and |
| debilitating impact on the defense or economic security | | | | other matters that may impact their companies. |
| of the United States."The infrastructures that InfraGard | | | | Chapters have speakers from public and private |
| is concerned with protecting include: | | | | agencies and the law enforcement |
| | | | community.Membership |
| Agriculture | | | | Individuals who wish to become members should |
| Banking/Finance | | | | apply at local chapter meetings. The FBI requires photo |
| Chemical | | | | identification with an application. All applicants will |
| Computer Security | | | | undergo a background check performed by the FBI. |
| Defense | | | | Membership is limited to United States |
| Emergency Services | | | | citizens.According to InfraGard, 68 of the top 100 firms |
| Energy | | | | in the Fortune 500 have an InfraGard representative. |
| Food | | | | There are currently over 13,000 InfraGard |
| Postal/Shipping | | | | members.Related Links |
| Public Health | | | | Following are some related links that may be helpful: |
| Transportation | | | | InfraGard Web Site: |
| Telecommunications | | | | Internet Crime Complaint Center: |
| Water Supply | | | | OnGuard Online: |
| InfraGard is an FBI program that was started in 1996 | | | | Staysafeonline.org: |
| in the Cleveland Field Office. It initially focused only on | | | | Rob Pirozzi is a freelance writer who provides timely, |
| the cyber arena. Since then, program responsibility has | | | | quality professional writing of all types. He is also the |
| transferred to the National Infrastructure Protection | | | | publisher of the web site which provides information on |
| Center (NIPC) and then to the Cyber Division of the | | | | low-cost computers and low-cost or free software |
| FBI in 2003. InfraGard now focuses on more than the | | | | for the average home or small business computer |
| "cyber arena". InfraGard now also deals with the | | | | user. |