About InfraGard

The purpose of this article is to familiarize individualsexchange of information concerning various terrorism,
with InfraGard, which is an organization whoseintelligence, criminal, and security matters.InfraGard Goal
purpose is to help protect "critical United StatesThe goal of InfraGard is to promote communication
infrastructures". This article will describe thebetween members and the FBI. InfraGard members
organization, its mission and goals, and how individualsgain access to information that enables them to
and organizations can become involved with theirprotect 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 familiarterrorism and other crimes.What Does InfraGard Do?
with InfraGard.About InfraGardInfraGard is an alliance between the FBI and the
InfraGard is a partnership between the FBI (Federalprivate sector (businesses, academic institutions, state
Bureau of Investigation), and the private sector. Theand local law enforcement agencies, and other
mission of InfraGard is "...to improve and extendparticipants). InfraGard is an association dedicated to
information sharing between private industry and thesharing both information and intelligence with the goal
government, particularly the FBI, when it comes toof preventing hostile acts against the United
critical national infrastructures" (Source: InfraGard webStates.InfraGard Organization
site). President Clinton defined "critical nationalInfraGard is organized into chapters that are
infrastructures" in 1998 in the following way - "Criticalgeographically linked with FBI Field Offices. Each
infrastructures are those physical and cyber-basedInfraGard Chapter has an associated FBI Special
systems essential to the minimum operations of theAgent Coordinator who helps to form the chapter and
economy and government. These systems are socoordinate activities.InfraGard chapters hold regular
vital, that their incapacity or destruction would have ameetings where members discuss issues, threats, and
debilitating impact on the defense or economic securityother matters that may impact their companies.
of the United States."The infrastructures that InfraGardChapters have speakers from public and private
is concerned with protecting include:agencies and the law enforcement
community.Membership
AgricultureIndividuals who wish to become members should
Banking/Financeapply at local chapter meetings. The FBI requires photo
Chemicalidentification with an application. All applicants will
Computer Securityundergo a background check performed by the FBI.
DefenseMembership is limited to United States
Emergency Servicescitizens.According to InfraGard, 68 of the top 100 firms
Energyin the Fortune 500 have an InfraGard representative.
FoodThere are currently over 13,000 InfraGard
Postal/Shippingmembers.Related Links
Public HealthFollowing are some related links that may be helpful:
TransportationInfraGard Web Site:
TelecommunicationsInternet Crime Complaint Center:
Water SupplyOnGuard Online:
InfraGard is an FBI program that was started in 1996Staysafeonline.org:
in the Cleveland Field Office. It initially focused only onRob Pirozzi is a freelance writer who provides timely,
the cyber arena. Since then, program responsibility hasquality professional writing of all types. He is also the
transferred to the National Infrastructure Protectionpublisher of the web site which provides information on
Center (NIPC) and then to the Cyber Division of thelow-cost computers and low-cost or free software
FBI in 2003. InfraGard now focuses on more than thefor the average home or small business computer
"cyber arena". InfraGard now also deals with theuser.