Faith-Based Security Headlines
These updates are shared to help raise the situational awareness of Faith-Based organizations to best defend against and mitigate the impacts from all-hazards threats including physical security, cybersecurity, and natural disasters.
FB-ISAO Threat Level Statement Update, 09 July 2025 – Threat Levels Remain at Elevated
The FB-ISAO continues to assess both physical and cyber threat levels against faith-based organizations in the U.S. as ELEVATED. This indicates no specific threats are known, but the likelihood of incidents is higher than usual. The organization emphasizes that some individual houses of worship due to their location, demographics, or public stances might perceive their threat environment as SEVERE and should adjust accordingly.
Global conflicts, domestic protests, and hate-based violence continue to impact HOW. Cyber threats, including ransomware and business email compromise, remain active concerns, with hacktivism and insider threats also noted. Faith-based organizations are encouraged to maintain vigilance, strengthen security practices, and monitor local development to remain prepared during this period of heightened risk.
Analyst Comments: The continued ELEVATED threat level for faith-based organizations highlights the persistent risk environment driven by geopolitical tensions, domestic extremism, and increasing cyber threats. Organizations may consider viewing this status as routine but as a reminder to review and exercise security plans, verify contact lists with local enforcement, and reinforce layered cybersecurity.
Lock It Down: Why MFA Isn’t Optional Anymore
The Gate 15 article, part of their “Summer of Security: Ransomware Resilience” series, stresses that Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a foundational defense against ransomware attacks. It highlights that implementing MFA across all systems significantly boosts resistance to credential-based-threats by making it dramatically harder for attackers to bypass account even if passwords are compromised. The article underscores that while MFA is simple to deploy, its effectiveness in stopping initial access attempts makes it an essential layer in organizational resilience against ransomware.
In today’s ransomware-heavy threat landscape, MFA is no longer optional. While attackers continue to develop new methods to bypass MFA, the absence of strong, phishing-resistant MFA remains a consistent and easily exploited vulnerability. Organizations are encouraged to evaluate their risks, and identify MFA solutions that will meet their needs. . By embracing MFA alongside user education and continuous monitoring, organizations can significantly reduce the likelihood of ransomware incidents and credential-based breaches. Security leaders are recommended to prioritized MFA as a core element of organizational resilience, locking down digital access before attackers find the next weakest link.
Rounds of flooding downpours, severe storms to target Eastern US
AccuWeather reports that the eastern United States is currently under repeated threats of heavy rainfall rounds, flash flooding, and severe thunderstorms through this weekend. These storms threaten to dump torrential downpours and generate gusty winds and hail especially in areas saturated from earlier events. Meanwhile, NOAA’s NCEI reported that May 2025 saw the contagious U.S. average temperature hit 61.7 °F —1.5 °F above the 20th century norm placing it in the warmest third of the 131-year record. Perception levels were also well above average, with the Southeast and Northeast experiencing one of their wettest Mays on record, leading to high soil saturation in many areas. The combination of heightened heat and humidity has increased moisture, fueling the severe weather patterns now unfolding across the East. This overlap of climate-driven warming and excess moisture has set the stage for more intense and frequent heavy rainfall events, illustrating the real-time impacts of warming climate on severe weather and flooding risks in the region.
Analyst Comments: The convergence of record warmth, high humidity, and saturated ground conditions across the eastern U.S. significantly increases the likelihood of flash flooding and severe weather impacts, particularly in low-lying and urban areas with poor drainage. Organizations and individuals in these regions should anticipate rapid storm development which can lead to quick-onset flooding, downed power lines, and travel disruptions. To prepare consider, monitoring reliable local weather updates and ensure you are signed up for emergency alerts. Faith-based organizations may want to consider reviewing emergency plans and discuss evacuation routes if your organization is near flood-prone areas. Faith-based and community organizations may consider testing mass notification systems in advance and review their severe weather shelter plans to accommodate members or congregants if sudden storms occur during services or events.
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