FBI Cyber Shield Alliance

Cyber Shield Alliance (CSA) is an FBI cyber security partnership initiative developed by law enforcement for law enforcement to proactively defend and counter cyber threats against law enforcement networks and critical technologies. CSA encourages law enforcement participation as a force multiplier in defending our national security, while equipping agencies with the training and tools to optimize and defend their own law enforcement networks.

CSA was launched by the FBI Cyber Division as an initiative with the dual responsibility of preventing harm to national security and enforcing federal laws. These two roles are complementary to each other, as threats to the nation’s cyber-security can emanate from nation-states, terrorist organizations, and from transnational criminal enterprises; with the lines between often blurred.

Accomplishment of our mission is enhanced by the FBI’s long standing partnerships and joint efforts with the U.S. Intelligence Community and homeland security enterprise. Through these endeavors, the FBI stewards an array of FBI cyber-security resources and intelligence, much of which is accessible to SLTT law enforcement agencies through participation with the Cyber Shield Alliance.

The importance of a unified front to defend and counter these cyber threats can’t be underestimated. State, local, territorial, and tribal (SLTT) agencies are the first line of defense for U.S. citizens against physical threats and emergencies. Attempts to infiltrate or immobilize these agencies’ information systems harms the communities’ law enforcement agencies are sworn to protect, with potentially devastating consequences. Previous attacks have resulted in the theft of highly sensitive information such as operation plans, case files, witness information, and workforce private identifying information. Other breaches have resulted in the loss of public trust and credibility and the debilitation of technology-reliant operations.

Unlike crime problems that affect a single city or region, cyber threats are without regional borders and can have implications on a much broader scale. As a result, Federal, State, and local authorities, along with international partners must synchronize efforts to aggressively counter them.

For our partners in state and local law enforcement, Cyber Shield Alliance is accessible via the Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal (LEEP) at www.cjis.gov  as well as the Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS) at www.riss.net . Members can receive free access to a vast array of online cyber training classes for any skill level. Additionally, CSA provides law enforcement partners to a catalog of cyber threat reports and tools made available exclusively for the law enforcement community.