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The INMA recently reached an agreement with ESP to provide secure communications for InfraGard Members. This article provides information on the capabilities of the "Cyber-Cop" portal, the ESP group, and the steps that are necessary to sign up.
What is CyberCop and how does it benefit InfraGard members?
The CyberCop portal is an SSL-based secure communications environment that will allow InfraGard members to communicate with each other, share documents and receive information from INMA. Designed to provide a secure, Web-based environment to promote and facilitate the communication of sensitive information, it also will provide dedicated space for each of InfraGard’s 84 local chapters, allowing participants to control access to their information down to the chapter and individual level.
Intended for use by computer forensics experts, law enforcement and emergency responders, CyberCop, is an ESP-coined term, referring to computer forensic experts, law enforcement and emergency responders that use the Internet to collaborate and share information with one another. Due to various geographic, system, political and monetary barriers, these individuals are rarely able to securely engage one another to share case information and to exchange best practices and lessons learned. As a result, The ESP Group created this secure portal and is committed to providing a safe and secure environment where ideas can be freely exchanged.
The CyberCop portal does not require VPN software, is entirely Web-based and is free to InfraGard members.
More than 2000 INMA members have signed on since Karie Greider of The ESP Group LLC introduced it at the InfraGard 2005 National Conference. “Although the FBI will continue to operate its VPN-based system, they fully support membership efforts to promote additional ways to enhance communication,” FBI Cyber Division Chief Donald Goode said.
“The CyberCop portal has been an extremely effective solution for InfraGard,” Dr. Phyllis Schenck, chairman of the INMA Board of Directors said. “The portal affords our members ubiquitous and secure information access from any Web-enabled end device, which is essential given our decentralized structure. Effective public-private collaboration for critical infrastructure protection and response requires secure communication – anytime, anywhere.” INMA has created a compartmented ‘Community’ for members only. This new section will allow information to be shared within the InfraGard community and will also enable the InfraGard members to collaborate with the other 10,000 CyberCop participants when appropriate.
How does CyberCop compare to the current VPN?
Bob Radvanovsky CyberCop InfraGard member, recently posted his opinion in a CyberCop Chat: "To me, having a VPN solution doesn't give me a feeling that any of my data is safe. With a browser solution, I can utilize whatever architecture I want without having too many hassles. The CyberCop portal allows me to access -- securely -- sensitive data and reference materials without being dependent upon any one architecture. I like to simplify without having to use special software, keys or extra steps, but still keeping it fairly secure. The CyberCop portal allows me that level of flexibility, and is fairly easy to maneuver. I like it very much!"
To register to the InfraGard community on CyberCop:
- Click on the link https://cybercop.esportals.com/login.cfm.
- Click on the link that states, "If invited to join, click HERE to register."
- When prompted, please enter Org ID (see table below).
- Enter as much contact information as possible.
- Complete the remaining online application.
- Click on the confirmation link in the verification email that is sent to you. The confirmation email will contain a link (which will either appear as the word 'verify' or a long string of alpha/numeric characters) that you will need to click on in order to complete your application.
- You will receive one final email letting you know when your account is approved. Your account cannot be approved until you complete both the online application and click on the confirmation email.
This Portal is not affiliated in any way with the FBI. If you need assistance, please contact the ESP Group Help Desk at (804) 744-8800 or by email at helpdesk@espgroup.net. The Help Desk is available Monday through Friday, from 8:00am to 8:00pm EST.
Chapter Org ID’s:
Albany - 339
Anchorage - 353
Boston - 335
Buffalo - 340
Central Indiana (Indianapolis) - 314
Central Missouri (Jefferson City) - 319
Central Ohio (Columbus) - 323
Central Pennsylvania (Harrisburg) - 344
Chicago - 311
Cincinnati - 321
Connecticut (New Haven) - 331
Dayton - 324
Delaware (Wilmington) - 332
Denver - 395
Iowa - 396
Nebraska - 397
Salt Lake City - 398
Detroit - 316
El Paso - 392
Houston - 393
San Antonio - 394
Kansas City - 315
Kentucky (Louisville) - 333
Long Island - 341
Madison - 326
Maine - 336
Maryland (Baltimore) - 334
Milwaukee - 330
Minneapolis - 317
NE Indiana (Ft. Wayne) - 313
New Jersey (Newark) - 337
New York Metro - 342
Norfolk - 349
North Dakota - 327
Northern Ohio (Cleveland) - 322
Omaha InfraGard - 401
Philadelphia - 345
Phoenix - 354
Pittsburgh - 347
Richmond - 350
Rochester - 343
San Francisco - 359
Honolulu - 360
Las Vegas Southern Nevada - 361
Sierra Nevada (Reno) - 362
Oregon (Portland) - 363
Evergreen State (Seattle) - 364
Birmingham - 365
Mobile - 366
Jacksonville - 367
South Florida (Miami) - 368
Orlando - 369
Tallahassee - 370
Northwest Florida (Pensacola - 371
Tampa Bay - 372
Atlanta - 373
Chattahoochee - 374
Savannah (Coastal Empire) - 375
Mississippi (Jackson) - 376
Charlotte - 377
East Carolina - 378
San Juan - 379
South Carolina (Columbia) - 380
Knoxville - 382
Memphis - 383
Middle Tennessee - 384
Arkansas - 385
Acadiana - 386
South Dakota - 329
South East Louisiana - 387
New Mexico (Albuquerque) - 388
Oklahoma (Oklahoma City) - 389
Central Texas (Austin) - 390
Dallas - 391
Southern Arizona (Tucson) - 355
Los Angeles - 356
Sacramento - 357
San Diego - 358
Springfield - 312
St. Louis - 320
Toledo - 325
Vermont (Burlington) - 348
Washington Field Office - 351
West Virginia (Fairmont/Clarksburg) - 352
CyberCop Collaboration Tools
Every member of CyberCop has access to a set of core tools that have been designed to include robust functionality, an intuitive interface and the capability to compartmentalize data by individual users, organizations or customized groups:
Secure Messaging - similar to a desktop mail program in which users can send and receive secure messages. Messages are kept inside the portal under 128-bit encryption. Each message can contain attachments for which there are no size or format constraints. Notifications can be sent to a user’s external email program to notify them that they need to log in to the portal to receive a message.
Compartmented Library - allows users to create their own library categories and to manage the users that have access to the category. Users that don’t have access to the category, don’t see the category listing. Users can upload documents into the library and can even create subfolders to further segment documents as necessary.
Find Users – allows users to view contact information for other portal participants and view the users who are currently online.
Online Briefings - allows users to share PowerPoint presentations in a real-time format. This capability is ideal for teleconferencing in which users are participating from diverse locations. Each briefing contains a moderator who can control the pace of the presentation. Users can view the presenter’s notes and chat during the presentation.
Data Survey Wizard - gives any user the ability to easily create a survey. The survey is then posted to a designated group of users, selected by the survey owner. The survey owner can then gather the survey responses at any time after the survey has been posted.
Calendars - allows any user to establish private or public calendars. The calendar owner can determine need-to-know for each calendar and specific calendar event. Similar to most calendaring and scheduling programs, the calendar view can be changed to reflect the monthly, weekly or daily view.
Forum Discussions - allows users to establish threaded forum discussions and to share expertise with other users in the portal. The owner of the forum discussion decides who has access to the discussion area and can control access at the admin, write or read only levels.
Public/Private Chat Rooms - allows any user to participate in a public chat room or to create private chat rooms. The owner of each room can designate additional users that may have access to the private chat area.
WebPort - allows any individual to establish a web-page within the portal. The owner of the WebPort can designate additional users that may access the web page. This tool allows users to create and manage their own content pertaining to their organization, projects or working groups.
Document Revision Control System - designed for document management capabilities to allow users to be able to collaborate on a document via a check in/check out process. While any user can designate a Revision Control Document, the owner can designate additional users that may participate in the Revision Control Process. Access can be given at the admin, vote, edit and read-only levels.
Task Trac - designed to keep track of ongoing tasks and projects. This tool keeps track of ongoing projects, resource allocation, percentage of completion as well as comments and requirements. Each task can have an unlimited number of sub-tasks. Users will only see the tasks for which they have been granted specific access.
Alerts – allows designated users to send alert information to any recipient’s text enabled device; such as email, pager or cell phone. Alerts typically include information of high importance that is geared toward a specific user group. Alert delivery information is reported through the portal.
The ESP Group
For nearly a decade, The ESP Group has provided government agencies and private companies with flexible, secure, compartmented and organization-wide communication and collaboration tools.
The ESP Group’s technology originated at The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Defense Department's R&D organization. DARPA recognized an internal need to communicate and collaborate securely over the web and in 1997 established a multi agency security team to review and select the most secure technologies available in the government and private sector to address this need. Meanwhile, the White House's U.S. Security Policy Board, a coordinating body for the national security and intelligence communities, was charged under the Presidential Decision Directive (PDD) 29 to provide a new combination of technology and business to the security community. In response to both directives, the Security Policy Board launched the Extranet for Security Professionals (The ESP – www.xsp.org ). The ESP is a highly secure collaboration system equipped to handle sensitive but unclassified (SBU) information over the Internet. This private external network (Extranet) portal, accessed over the web, is used by security-cleared national and cyber-security professionals to share and collaborate on sensitive information.
In 1998 the ESP technology moved to the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. With funding and guidance from DARPA, DoD, CMS, DoE, NRO, NASA, and the Air Force, the U.S. Security Policy Board tested and matured the ESP technology. Afterwards, the ESP helped tie together the national security and intelligence community as well as supported such tasks as the Department of Defense Y2K efforts. In August 1999, the Joint Security Commission II, while reviewing the Security Policy Board's achievements, recognized the ESP experiment as a “success” and recommended that it be moved from an experimental to an operational status. Both DARPA and the SEI, in line with their technology transfer missions, supported the commercialization of the technology.
Today the ESP Group supports various Government and Commercial clients including the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Personnel Management, Intelligence Agencies and Pharmaceutical Companies.
More information on The ESP Group is available on www.espgroup.net.
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