InfraGard Arkansas Members Alliance 24 Shackleford W. Drive Little Rock, AR 72211 Phone: 501.221.9100 Fax: 501.217.2645

MEMBERSHIP
InfraGard is a partnership of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC), state and local government agencies, law enforcement, educational and academic institutions, first responders, businesses of all types and sizes, and other members of the community dedicated to sharing information and intelligence to prevent hostile acts against the United States. This alliance is designed to protect infrastructure and information technology systems from hacker attacks and other intrusions by providing a network for sharing information anonymously about attacks and how to protect against them. It is an opportunity for everyone, regardless of occupation or employment status to become involved in activities designed to increase our community’s readiness to prevent or respond effectively to attacks and incidents.

Whether you live or work or play in Arkansas, there is no doubt that you want it to be safe for you and your family and friends. By joining InfraGard, you can play an important and active part in a group that serves the interests of and combines the knowledge base of a wide variety of individuals. At its most basic level, InfraGard is an information sharing partnership of the FBI and public and private sectors.

HISTORY
InfraGard is a Federal Bureau of Investigation 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 in 2003 to the Cyber Division.

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. Recent strategic partnerships with other government agencies including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will strengthen its ability to gather, analyze and disseminate information to help protect our nation’s critical infrastructures and people.

InfraGard Chapters (consisting of the sponsoring FBI Field Office and the InfraGard Members Alliance) are geographically linked with FBI Field Office territories. Each InfraGard Chapter has one or more FBI Special Agent Coordinator assigned to it who work closely with the InfraGard membership and program managers 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 its members and the FBI. InfraGard members gain access to information that enables them to better protect their assets. They may give information to the government that facilitates its responsibilities to address and prevent terrorism and other crimes.

The relationship supports information sharing at national and local levels, and its objectives include:

• Increasing the level of information and reporting between InfraGard members and the FBI on matters related to counter-terrorism, cyber crime, and other major crime activities.
• Increasing interaction and information sharing among InfraGard members and the FBI regarding threats to the critical infrastructures, vulnerabilities, and interdependencies.
• Providing members value-added threat advisories, alerts, and warnings.
• Promoting effective liaison with local, state and federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security.
• Providing members a forum for education and training on counter-terrorism, counter-intelligence, cyber crime, and other matters relevant to informed reporting of potential crimes and attacks on the nation and U.S. interests.
• Outreach to business, schools, civic and religious groups to educate the public in ways to protect themselves and their community.

InfraGard Arkansas also seeks input from and provides training and education initiatives of particular relevance to our member community.

Please consider joining InfraGard…wherever you live, work or play. Membership is free, and although we encourage active participation, you determine the extent of your involvement.

Members are grouped by sectors. Please identify which sector you most closely relate to:

• GOVERNMENT - may hold office or work for a State, County, or City agency.
• LAW ENFORCMENT – State, County, City, Law Enforcement Officers, and Security Personnel.
• BUSINESS - is any representative of various industries or commerce.
• OTHER - is any person not in a sector listed above.

ANNUAL INFRAGARD DUES = $0.00

Applicants must pass a criminal background check before membership is granted.

For more information, please contact:

InfraGard Arkansas
24 Shackleford W. Drive
Little Rock, AR 72211
Phone: 501.221.9100
Fax: 501.217.2645
James Wagnon, Special Agent, FBI
email: jwagnon@leo.gov

Little Rock Infragard Page