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Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post

Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 29 November 2023

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. 

How concerning is the spike in respiratory illnesses in China?

A doctor explains. “Thus far, based on what we know from WHO, I don’t think the spike in respiratory illnesses should cause global concern. What would be most worrisome to the international medical community is if a new pathogen is emerging, as it did in the form of Covid-19 in the winter of 2019. This does not appear to be the case now.”

Related Stories:

Analyst Comments:

While initial reports indicate that conditions in China should not cause concern in the United States, extra vigilance is warranted. Also, this is flu season, and proper precautions should be taken to prevent having the flu. CDC recommendations for the flu, COVID 19, and RSV can be found at Influenza (Flu) and Protect yourself from COVID-19, Flu, and RSV. It would also be prudent to ensure that supplies obtained for the earlier COVID epidemic should be stored in a way to preserve their usefulness.

As always, Faith-Based ISAO’s website provides resources in the Resource Library, including information on Protecting From Health Threats and Natural Hazards.

 

CISA – Unlocking Tomorrow’s Cybersecurity: A Sneak Peek into ReadySetCyber

In the fast-paced world of cybersecurity, staying ahead of threats is essential. And while security is without a doubt a priority for businesses of all sizes, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by all the information available. At CISA, we have been diligently developing a solution aimed at simplifying the way our partners and potential collaborators understand their cyber risk and prioritize their investments, ensuring they can quickly navigate this complexity with ease. Our focus has been on making the process of working with us more intuitive and user-friendly so that every organization can spend more time meeting business goals and less time sifting through cybersecurity resources. We believe this approach will be especially helpful for smaller to medium sized stakeholders with fewer resources, who need help prioritizing actions to help them to reduce the likelihood and impact of damaging intrusions. In early 2024, we look forward to launching a new way for organizations to understand their cyber risk and receive targeted, straightforward guidance built around our Cybersecurity Performance Goals. This new tool is called Ready.Set.Cyber. While we’re not quite ready to unveil all the details just yet, we are excited to share a glimpse of what’s on the horizon.

Analyst Comments:

CISA’s new tool, Ready.Set.Cyber. is “especially helpful for smaller to medium sized stakeholders with fewer resources, who need help prioritizing actions to help them to reduce the likelihood and impact of damaging intrusions”. Many Faith-Based Organizations (FBO) fall in this category. FBOs should consider utilizing this tool when it is released.

As always, Faith-Based ISAO’s website provides resources in the Resource Library, including information on Protecting Digital Assets 

Reminder

If you are registered, remember to attend the Faith-Based Security Advisory Council meeting today, at 3 pm E.T. Registration was closed yesterday.

The agenda for the meeting is as follows:

  • DHS senior leadership and FBSAC Chair and Vice Chair will provide opening remarks.
  • Taskings will be assigned to the Council, followed by a moderated discussion.
  • The Designated Federal Officer will provide an update on the implementation of recommendations from the June 6, 2023, FBSAC meeting.
  • A brief discussion of the state of current affairs in the Middle East will take place.
  • The meeting will adjourn at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Please see the following links:

The information about the November 29, 2023 public meeting of the DHS Faith-Based Security Advisory Council can be found here:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/11/14/2023-25066/faith-based-security-advisory-council

More information about the Council can be found here:
https://www.dhs.gov/faith-based-security-advisory-council

Analyst Comments:

Mayya Saab, Executive Director of FB-ISAO is a member of the Faith-Based Security Advisory Council and participates by providing input on strategy and policy, information-sharing and coordination, programs and initiatives, as well as evaluation and feedback.

Update on Rash of Bomb Threats Earlier This Year

Charges dismissed in Westchester synagogue bomb threats case

Charges were dismissed against a Peruvian man after he was accused by the FBI of making over 150 false bomb threats to cities across the United States. In September, the FBI said 33-year-old Eddie Manuel Nunez Santos was arrested in Lima, Peru and was charged with calling in fake bomb threats to schools, synagogues, airports and hospitals across the United States, including two synagogues in Westchester County, from Sept. 15 to Sept. 21. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams said Nunez Santos made the threats in retaliation against four teenage girls who refused to send him nude photographs. One of the alleged victims was a 15-year-old Westchester girl. But, the Journal News/lohud received an email apparently from Nunez Santos that said he was falsely accused because of an error from an FBI agent, who believed he sent the threats based on an email service he uses. The address the message was sent from was also linked to at least one of Nunez Santos’ social media profiles. The FBI and a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office would not comment on Nunez Santos’ claim. But on Oct. 31, U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Stein granted the request by a federal prosecutor to dismiss the complaint against Nunez Santos. The press release announcing the arrest was subsequently withdrawn and is no longer available online.

More Faith-Based Stories

Knoxville woman sets fire in church, tells staff about it, police say

Vandalism of St. Peter churches, school vehicles leads to charges

CA: South Gate Man Accused of Vandalizing Irwindale Church

FAKE BOMB THREAT CALLED INTO NYC SYNAGOGUE

Houston police investigating possible vandalism of ‘Pray For Israel’ billboard

RESIDENTS SUPPORT NYC KOSHER EATERY AFTER HATE CRIME

73% of Jewish students have seen or been victims of on-campus antisemitism since start of Israel-Hamas war: study

Israeli-American philanthropist wants U.S. Jewry to go to war with, not ‘handle,’ antisemitism

Pop singer Sabrina Carpenter’s music video spurs outrage for using NY Catholic church as a setting

Pope punishes leading critic Cardinal Burke in second action against conservative American prelates

Ventura County Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Making Death Threats to a Nonprofit and Reproductive Health Centers

Artificial Intelligence Needs Spiritual Intelligence and Religion Should Not Guide Artificial Intelligence

Six children killed and 23 people injured as church buildings bombed in Sudan

Genoa Rabbi attacked with screwdriver in antisemitic attack

UK: Chapel trashed by vandals remains closed four weeks on

Top U.S. intelligence officials demanded India probe assassination plot

Dangers of Misinformation towards British Mosques

Muslims in Europe feel vulnerable to rising hostility over Israel-Gaza

Over 600 Australian leaders unite against 482% rise in antisemitism

Christmas Celebrations Canceled in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Jordan and Why Christmas is canceled in Bethlehem

Select All-Hazards Stories

PA: Knife-wielding man shot by SEPTA police after stabbing 3 people, including unarmed security guard

In Canada, a Judge Sentences an Incel Killer as a Terrorist

Workplace Violence Is on the Rise, and So Are Regulations

From clear bags to metal detectors, here’s why event security works and what the future looks like

Anger unleashed by the Israel-Hamas war has hit small businesses in the U.S.

Watch: Anti-Israel Protesters Demonstrate Outside Memorial Service for Former US First Lady Rosalynn Carter

French government urges calm after teen’s death at party sparks far-right riots

Woman reports harassment and arrest of her fiancé during vigil for Palestinians killed by Israel

International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) – Operation “Swords of Iron.” Real-Time Analysis of Operation Swords of Iron

As Israel and Hamas Extend Truce, More Pressure on Biden to Push for Permanent Cease-fire

Heavy Rainfall for Hawaii; Severe Weather Potential Increasing Across the South National Weather Service

New CDC life expectancy data shows painfully slow rebound from covid

Fears grow over mystery illness that has killed at least 14 people in Uganda

IRS, Security Summit partners launch 2023 National Tax Security Awareness Week focusing on holiday scams, protecting personal information as tax season nears

How Meta Is Planning for Elections in 2024

Elon Musk Is Giving QAnon Believers Hope Just in Time for the 2024 Elections

Inside the Operation to Bring Down Trump’s Truth Social; The North Atlantic Fella Organization is trying to shut down Trump’s flailing social media platform before the 2024 election—by shitposting.

The Risks of Smartphone and MFA Usage in Organizations

Chrome for Android Update

More Security-focused Content

Read a report detailing attacks on Faith-Based organizations following the Dobbs ruling.
Read the October 2023 Threat Level Statement Update
Access all-hazards resources from public and private sector partners, curated by the FB-ISAO team.

The FB-ISAO’s sponsor Gate 15 publishes a free daily newsletter called the SUN. Curated from their open source intelligence collection process, the SUN informs leaders and analysts with the critical news of the day and provides a holistic look at the current global, all-hazards threat environment. Ahead of the daily news cycle, the SUN allows current situational awareness into the topics that will impact your organization. To sign-up for The SUN, please sign up below.

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