One good way for private citizens and businesses to get involved in the nation’s homeland security effort is through InfraGard. I applied for membership last year and recently joined.
According to its website, Infragard is:Â
“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.”Â
The InfraGard website lists some of the benefits for companies and individuals of joining:
“*Network with other companies that help maintain our national infrastructure. Quick Fact: 350 of our nation’s Fortune 500 have a representative in InfraGard.
*Gain access to an FBI secure communication network complete with VPN encrypted website, webmail, listservs, message boards and much more.
*Learn time-sensitive, infrastructure related security information from government sources such as DHS and the FBI.
*Get invitations and discounts to important training seminars and conferences.”
You can find your local chapter here and the application here. Private individuals and companies are eligible to join. All applicants have to undergo a background check performed by the FBI (for this reason InfraGard membership is currently limited to United States citizens). Membership is free.
As I have just joined the organization, I have yet to participate in any of its activities. I will report on the blog when I do.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Harry // Feb 11, 2009 at 9:34 am
Translation – volunteer to be the next Stazi informer. Seriously, they aren’t even really coy about the fact that what they are asking is for you to be a junior spy.
CERT comes in to play when there is a clear and present danger that nobody can dispute, all of the activities are in group session, puts civilians more into the thick of things to increase transparency, and the goal is to minimize casualties. This one creeps me the hell out – sounds much more individualized, focuses on the maybe-threats, allows you to snitch on people with extra secure communications…
“Mother should I trust the government?” Not if the nosy, gossipy neighbor has a legit conduit to the feds to report anything that looks a little suspicious from her back window. Plus the name strikes me as just a little Orwellian.
2 Jonathan D. Abolins // Feb 17, 2009 at 9:17 pm
I don’t know if Harry has ever attended an Infragard chapter meeting and looked around, but my experience with the Infrafard in NJ has been overall positive.
Today, I was at the NJ chapter meeting. A vendor presentation on its Internet monitoring service for corporates and an FBI fellow talking about the cost of identity theft fraud and what people can do to lessen the risks.
No prompts for dropping the dime on my friends, neighbours, etc. The main info requests I hear are for coporations to report to the authorities computer break-ins and other crimes.
Meanwhile, attending the meetings gives a chance for the public to see a bit about the FBI and other agencies.
Look up a local chapter meeting on the links this blog gave — many meetings are open to the public — and go have a look.
3 Steve // Mar 6, 2009 at 11:57 pm
I tend to agree with Jonathan. Harry doesn’t have anything to back up his thoughts other than something on the Infragard application page that says it’s for sharing info with the FBI.
The truth is that most of what goes on inside Infragard is reports and whitepapers that are meant to help in infrastructure protection. You might get an agricultural report talking about the newest threat (man-made or biologic) or a report meant for emergency responders detailing how responders have been attacked in the US or world.
That’s about it, It’s meant as a clearinghouse to help protect our critical infrastructure, not as a rat out your neighbor website.
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