eGuardian

Documenting the criminal activity of the FBI.


eGuardian is used by agencies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This includes the 78 state-level fusion centers. The JTTFs also share SARs and provide assessment updates from the FBI’s internal Guardian system.

Most SARs are violations of the 4th Amendment – unreasonable search and seizure.

“It’s troubling that the very ‘fusion’ centers that were designed to share information in a post-9/11 world have become part of the problem. Instead of strengthening our counterterrorism efforts, they have too often wasted money and stepped on Americans’ civil liberties,” said Senator Tom Coburn, the Oklahoma Republican.

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from the FBI website:
https://www.fbi.gov/resources/law-enforcement/eguardian

eGuardian 

In 2007, eGuardian was developed to help meet the challenges of collecting and sharing terrorism-related activities amongst law enforcement agencies across various jurisdictions. The eGuardian system is a sensitive but unclassified (SBU) information-sharing platform hosted by the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division as a service on the Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal (LEEP).
The eGuardian system allows law enforcement agencies to combine new suspicious activity reports (SARs) of incidents like these with existing (legacy) SAR reporting systems to form a single information repository accessible to thousands of law enforcement personnel and analysts directly supporting law enforcement. The information captured in eGuardian is also migrated to the FBI’s internal Guardian system, where it is assigned to the appropriate Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) for any further investigative action.

History When planning an attack, terrorists frequently engage in surveillance and otherwise suspicious activities. The detection and dissemination of these suspicious activities is vital to preventing and disrupting potential terrorist acts. In 2006, two men were arrested and charged after they were caught videotaping the U.S. Capitol building, the World Bank, a Masonic temple, and a fuel depot in Washington, D.C. and then sending the videotapes overseas to terrorist groups. In 2007, authorities disrupted a terrorist plot in Germany when they apprehended multiple suspects conducting surveillance at U.S. military facilities near the town of Hanau.

Incidents like these were a primary driver for the development of the eGuardian system, which allows law enforcement agencies to combine new suspicious activity reports (SARs) with existing (legacy) SAR reporting systems to form a single information repository accessible to thousands of law enforcement personnel and analysts directly supporting law enforcement. The information captured in eGuardian is also migrated to the FBI’s internal Guardian system, where it is assigned to the appropriate Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) for any further investigative action.

eGuardian was conceived in 2007 in response to the President’s National Strategy for Information Sharing, which created a national initiative to share terrorism-related information across federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial jurisdictions. On January 1, 2009, the FBI initiated a limited release of the eGuardian system.

Since its inception, eGuardian has experienced significant growth in both the number of users and agencies contributing SARs to the system. eGuardian has also become the backbone of the Nationwide SAR Initiative (NSI).

eGuardian User Base eGuardian is designed to be used by federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies and local and state fusion centers. eGuardian is also used by Department of Defense as their sole SAR reporting mechanism, which provides a global base for SAR reporting. Participating agencies are able to provide, view, and analyze SAR and other terrorism-related information using advance searching capabilities and geospatial overlays.

Currently, eGuardian is used by agencies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This includes the 78 state-level fusion centers. The JTTFs also share SARs and provide assessment updates from the FBI’s internal Guardian system.

Need Access? The eGuardian community will consist of only fusion center and law enforcement agency partners who qualify for access to the LEEP, whether directly or through an identity provider that provides connectivity to the LEEP.

The FBI’s eGuardian Help Desk will facilitate and administer initial user access to eGuardian following these steps:

  1. Fusion center or agency personnel will begin by submitting an application for a LEEP account if they do not already have one or do not have access to LEEP via another identity provider.
  2. Upon requesting access, the eGuardian Help Desk will validate the request with the appropriate agency point of contact.
  3. Following validation, the user account is created for agency personnel.
  4. Once the application has been processed and LEEP access is granted, the user will log into eGuardian via the eGuardian icon listed under LEEP services.
  5. At the time of the user’s first login to eGuardian, their user profile will be reflected in a temporary system organization and the eGuardian Help Desk members will then assign the user to the correct agency and role.

For further information or assistance, please call our help desk at (866) 672-9763.

See Also 

iGuardian

The FBI’s Industry-Focused Cyber Intrusion Reporting Platform
With cyber threats continuing to emerge at the forefront of the FBI’s criminal and national security challenges, engaging public-private partners in information exchange alongside law enforcement and intelligence communities is critical. To bring trusted industry partners into the intelligence fold, the FBI has adapted its Guardian threat tracking and management system to include iGuardian—a secure information portal allowing industry-based, individual partners to report cyber intrusion incidents in real time. 

The iGuardian portal is an evolution of eGuardian, the platform through which the FBI’s law enforcement partners provide potential terrorism-related threats and suspicious activity reports. While eGuardian enlists law enforcement users, iGuardian was developed specifically for partners within critical telecommunications, defense, banking and finance, and energy infrastructure sectors and is available over the sensitive but unclassified InfraGard network.

Comprising thousands of vetted, industry-aligned members nationally, InfraGard is the FBI’s public-private infrastructure protection coalition. The organization maintains its own secure network to distribute FBI alerts and bulletins and allow sharing of key threat information across its membership. Using the iGuardian system, members are encouraged to submit intrusion specifics directly to the FBI, including detail regarding malware infections, website defacements, and denial of service attacks. The iGuardian program likewise affords InfraGard partners access to information and intelligence derived from related incidents.

Each iGuardian incident report is expedited through Guardian to CyWatch, the FBI’s 24/7 cyber operations center, where agents and analysts triage and de-conflict the input, notify previously unknown intrusion victims, and assign leads to appropriate field offices for further investigation. This centralized management of criminal and national security cyber incidents positions the FBI to work more effectively with our partners to leverage known intelligence and forward pending investigations and operations.

As iGuardian yields an important, additional source of relevant cyber intrusion information, it also lends focus to a big-picture view of the threat posed by terrorists, nation-states, and criminal groups conducting network operations against the U.S. Creating this broad base of threat awareness and partnership is all-important to the FBI cyber mission.

Resources

Security Clearances for Law Enforcement

https://www.fbi.gov/resources/law-enforcement/security-clearances-for-law-enforcement

It is the policy of the FBI to share with law enforcement personnel pertinent information regarding terrorism. In the past, the primary mechanism for such information sharing was the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). In response to the terrorist attack on America on September 11, 2001, the FBI established the State and Local Law Enforcement Executives and Elected Officials Security Clearance Initiative. This program was initiated to brief officials with an established “need-to-know” on classified information that would or could affect their area of jurisdiction.
View printable version (pdf)

Overview Most information needed by state or local law enforcement can be shared at an unclassified level. In those instances where it is necessary to share classified information, it can usually be accomplished at the Secret level. This brochure describes when security clearances are necessary and the notable differences between clearance levels. It also describes the process involved in applying and being considered for a clearance.

State and local officials who require access to classified material must apply for a security clearance through their local FBI Field Office. The candidate should obtain from their local FBI Field Office a Standard Form 86 (SF 86), Questionnaire for National Security Positions; and two FD-258 (FBI applicant fingerprint cards). One of two levels of security clearance, Secret or Top Secret, may be appropriate.
The background investigation and records checks for Secret and Top Secret security clearance are mandated by Presidential Executive Order (EO). The EO requires these procedures in order for a security clearance to be granted; the FBI does not have the ability to waive them.

Secret Clearances A Secret security clearance may be granted to those persons that have a “need-to-know” national security information, classified at the Confidential or Secret level. It is generally the most appropriate security clearance for state and local law enforcement officials that do not routinely work on an FBI Task Force or in an FBI facility. A Secret security clearance takes the least amount of time to process and allows for escorted access to FBI facilities.

The procedure is as follows:

  • FBI performs record checks with various Federal agencies and local law enforcement, as well as, a review of credit history.
  • Candidate completes forms SF-86 and FD-258. Once favorably adjudicated for a Secret security clearance, the candidate will be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement.

Top Secret Clearances A Top Secret clearance may be granted to those persons who have a “need-to-know” national security information, classified up to the Top Secret level, and who need unescorted access to FBI facilities, when necessary. This type of clearance will most often be appropriate for law enforcement officers assigned to FBI Task Forces housed in FBI facilities.
In addition to all the requirements at the Secret level, a background investigation, covering a 10-year time period, is required.
Once favorably adjudicated for a Top Secret security clearance, the candidate will be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Who should apply for a security clearance?State or local officials whose duties require that they have access to classified information, and who are willing to undergo a mandatory background investigation.

What is the purpose of a background investigation?
The scope of the investigation varies with the level of the clearance being sought. It is designed to allow the government to assess whether a candidate is sufficiently trustworthy to be granted access to classified information. Applicants must meet certain criteria, relating to their honesty, character, integrity, reliability, judgement, mental health, and association with undesirable persons or foreign nationals.

If an individual occupies an executive position with a law enforcement agency, must he or she still undergo a background investigation in order to access classified information?
An Executive Order (EO), issued by the President, requires background investigations for all persons entrusted with access to classified information. The provisions of the EO are mandatory, cannot be waived, and apply equally to all federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. This is true of both Secret and Top Secret security clearances.

How long does it normally take to obtain a Secret security clearance?
It is the goal of the FBI to complete the processing for Secret security clearances within 45 to 60 days, once a completed application is submitted. The processing time for each individual case will vary depending upon its complexity.

How long does it normally take to obtain a Top Secret security clearance?
It is the goal of the FBI to complete the processing for Top Secret security clearances within 6 to 9 months, once a completed application is submitted. The processing time for each individual case will vary depending upon its complexity.

What kind of inquiries will the FBI make into my background?
Credit and criminal history checks will be conducted on all applicants. For a Top Secret security clearance, the background investigation includes additional record checks which can verify citizenship for the applicant and family members, verification of birth, education, employment history, and military history. Additionally, interviews will be conducted of persons who know the candidate, and of any spouse divorced within the past ten years. Additional interviews will be conducted, as needed, to resolve any inconsistencies. Residences will be confirmed, neighbors interviewed, and public records queried for information about bankruptcies, divorces, and criminal or civil litigation. The background investigation may be expanded if an applicant has resided abroad, or has a history of mental disorders, or drug or alcohol abuse. A personal interview will be conducted of the candidate.

If I have a poor credit history or other issues in my background, will this prevent me from getting a security clearance?
A poor credit history, or other issues, will not necessarily disqualify a candidate from receiving a clearance, but resolution of the issues will likely take additional time. If the issues are significant, they may prevent a clearance from being approved.

If I choose not to apply for a security clearance, will I still be informed about counterterrorism issues important to my jurisdiction?
Absolutely. If the FBI receives information relevant to terrorism which may impact your jurisdiction, you will be informed by your local Field Office, through the Law Enforcement Online network, via NLETS, and through other available mechanisms which are approved for the transmission of unclassified information. Most terrorism-related information can be provided in an unclassified form.

Are there any other advantages or disadvantages to receiving unclassified or classified terrorism-related information?
An additional advantage of receiving unclassified terrorism-related information is that there may be fewer restrictions on your ability to further disseminate it within your jurisdiction. Classified information may only be disseminated to other cleared persons, who also have a need-to-know.

What is the difference between an interim and a full security clearance?
Interim clearances are granted in exceptional circumstances where official functions must be performed before completion of the investigative and adjudicative processes associated with the security clearance procedure. There is no difference between an interim and a full security clearance as it relates to access to classified information. However, when such access is granted, the background investigation must be expedited, and, if unfavorable information is developed at anytime, the interim security clearance may be withdrawn.
How to Apply If you have any additional questions, and/or wish to apply for a security clearance, please contact your local FBI field office.

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