Greetings,

With this second edition of IMA magazine, InfraGard continues its mission of bringing insight and experience-tested knowledge to professionals engaged in the security of our nation’s critical infrastructure. This quarter’s issue focuses on several topics, but none more so than the ever increasing complex realm of cybersecurity.

As our society grows increasingly dependent on the technologies that surround us, the methods used by our adversaries to exploit vulnerabilities grow increasingly sophisticated. It isn’t enough to keep up with the motivations and capabilities of the hackers who attempt to invade and destroy our infrastructure — we have to stay ahead of them. We do this by being proactive in our approach to cybercrime and cyberterrorism; by rooting out our own vulnerabilities before the adversary has the opportunity to exploit them.  We can do this independently, or together, but in the end we will achieve more success if we gather what we have learned and share it with our colleagues.

Through technology and building relationships, the FBI continues to develop ways to quickly share information; however, it is incumbent upon all of us — government, academia, private industry and public industry — to participate in this exchange of information so we are all better equipped to defend our nation against those adversaries who would do us harm.

As always, thank you for your commitment and dedication to helping protect the nation’s critical infrastructure.

Sincerely,
Robert J. Holley
Special Agent in Charge
FBI Chicago Division