InfraGard helps companies prevent cybercrime

BY KATHY HAGOOD

         Criminals and terrorists who target the critical infrastructure of transportation systems, utilities, the financial industry, academia and the government pose a ever-present threat to Alabama and the rest of the nation’s security.
         Cybercrime hackers infiltrate computer networks across the country on a daily basis to steal technology and money. A percentage of that theft goes to support terrorist groups, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
        “It’s incumbent upon the FBI to address these ongoing infrastructure threats,” says Guy Walton, a special agent with the FBI’s Mobile Field Office.
         While the FBI and other government agencies, including Homeland Security and law enforcement, are ever vigilant, Walton says, they depend upon their partnership with industry and academia to help them keep the nation’s infrastructure safe.
         The growing public-private partnership is facilitated by InfraGard, which was created by the FBI as a sort of Neighborhood Watch for security professionals. Its 37,000 plus members across the country share information and expertise to help prevent and address cybercrime and other hostile acts. The FBI performs a background check on applicants before they become members.
         “Only by working together can we marshal enough resources and expertise to protect our nation’s assets,” says Walton, the FBI coordinator for InfraGard’s Mobile chapter with members throughout lower Alabama.
        The Birmingham InfraGard chapter represents upper Alabama. Because of growing interest in the organization plans are in the works to create Montgomery and Huntsville chapters.
         “Alabama isn’t that populous a state but we have an incredible number of leading organizations with critical roles,” Walton says. “The Port of Mobile is one of the country’s largest ports, the ninth largest in terms of tonnage. Redstone Arsenal supports four major command centers.”
        Walton points to the state’s large number of educational institutions from Auburn University and Tuskegee Institute in the south to the University of Alabama and Alabama A&M, his alma mater, in the north.
         “An educational heritage that was spawned by segregation has given us riches in terms of today’s major state research centers,” Walton says.
         Gary Warner, director of research in computer forensics at University of Alabama in Birmingham, helped bring the first InfraGard chapter to Alabama in 2001. Warner, then employed by Energen, was working with the FBI on a case when he first learned about InfraGard.
         “I thought ‘Why don’t we have a chapter here,’” Warner says. 
          Ironically the Birmingham chapter, one of the oldest chapters in the country, held its first meeting just days before 9-ll.
         “As you can imagine everyone who attended that meeting on September 6 immediately saw on September 11 the critical need to be a member of InfraGard,” Warner says.
        The chapter celebrated its 100^th meeting June 8 at the FBI’s Birmingham Field Office.
         Now the Birmingham chapter has more than 400 members, although some of those members are no longer employed in the area because of the banking industry collapse, says Steve Adwell, director of security for EPL and president of the Birmingham InfraGard chapter.
         “InfraGard is a tremendous resource for security professionals. Because the FBI vets members it allows us to share information with each other with greater confidence,” Adwell says.
         For example, InfraGard members are alerted when viruses or hacking trends emerge. And when IT security professionals encounter threats in their computer network they are able to reach out to other members who may have insight into the problem.
         “Threats to computer networks are constantly changing so it’s important that we all stay abreast of the latest trends so we can better protect our organizations,” Adwell says.
         While cyber criminals favored the use of email to send malicious software eight years ago, today they tend to use popular web sites to introduce “malware” into computers, Adwell says.
         Web advertising emanating from servers with limited security can spread malware to a home computer with limited protection, for example. Then that computer can be used as part of a “bot net” to infect other computers so that cyber criminals can steal passwords to drain money out of bank accounts or steal proprietary information from technology companies.
         Adwell uses Adblocker Pro software to avoid potential threats from Internet advertising. But that doesn’t mean he’s relaxed his vigilance.
         “Cyber criminals are always looking for new ways to beat the system,” Adwell says.
         Warner recommends employees never log onto their company’s network from a personal computer that’s been used to surf the Internet or download suspect video. Even Facebook is being used to introduce malware.
         “We’ve seen a rising incidence of company’s networks being hacked into because employees have logged in using a home computer or laptop infected with malware that steals their password,” Warner says. “Even if you don’t download videos, what about your 12 year old?”
         Such cybercrime has become a global issue. Warner recently presented his and his students research findings at a conference in Brazil that was attended by security professionals from across the world. He also consulted with the Brazilian government to help shore up their security.
        “I just read an article saying we’re going to need 10,000 new cyber warriors in the U.S. alone to combat ongoing threats,” says Warner. “Clearly no one believes this battle will end anytime soon.”
         InfraGard’s Mobile chapter has gone through a growth spurt over the past 18 months, increasing by 50 percent to more than 60 members.
         “That increase in large part is due to the efforts of my colleague Barbara Wardriski, the FBI’s administrative liaison for the chapter,” Walton says. “We are always looking for new members.”       
         The Mobile chapter periodically hosts conferences to educate its members and other interested professionals on various security topics. For more information on the next conference contact Walton at gwalton@leo.gov.
         For more information on the Birmingham chapter visit www.birmingham-infragard.org
         For more information on InfraGard visit www.infragard.net