Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 17 April 2025

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. 

CISA Releases Guidance on Credential Risks Associated with Potential Legacy Oracle Cloud Compromise 

CISA issued an alert on April 16, 2025, addressing potential risks associated with the compromise of legacy Oracle Cloud environments. While the full scope remains unconfirmed, CISA highlights concerns over exposed or hardcoded credentials such as usernames, passwords, authentication tokens, and encryption keys that could lead to unauthorized access if misused. CISA emphasizes that the compromise of such credentials can lead to privilege escalation, lateral movement within networks, access to cloud and identity management systems, phishing campaigns, and the resale of stolen data. Organizations are urged to take immediate action to mitigate these risks. 

Key Recommendations from CISA:

• Credential Reset: Immediately reset passwords for any affected users, especially those whose credentials are not federated through enterprise identity solutions.  
• Code and Script Review: Examine source code, infrastructure-as-code templates, automation scripts, and configuration files for embedded credentials.  
• Enhanced Monitoring: Implement continuous monitoring to detect unauthorized access and anomalous behavior.  
• Access Control Strengthening: Apply the principle of least privilege and enhance logging mechanisms to detect anomalies and prevent future breaches 

60+ Faith-Based, Civil Rights and Human Rights Groups Oppose Sen. Cassidy’s Probe of American Muslims for Palestine 

More than 60 national, regional, and local faith-based, civil rights, and human rights organizations—including Muslim, Jewish, and Christian groups—signed a joint letter opposing Senator Bill Cassidy’s investigation into American Muslims for Palestine (AMP). The letter accuses the senator of launching a politically motivated probe rooted in disinformation and Islamophobic, anti-Palestinian tropes. 

Key Points: 

• Context: The letter responds to Senator Cassidy’s March 27 HELP Committee remarks, where he accused AMP and pro-Palestinian student protesters of antisemitic behavior and announced plans to investigate AMP. 
• Defense of AMP: The signatories affirm AMP’s commitment to nonviolent advocacy and its right to protest U.S. foreign policy, especially regarding Palestinian human rights. 
• Free Speech Concerns: They warn the investigation threatens constitutionally protected speech and mirrors the McCarthy-era suppression of dissent.

Demands: 

• Withdraw the investigation into AMP. 
• Acknowledge the First Amendment rights of protest and free speech. 
• Engage in dialogue with impacted communities instead of relying on biased sources. 

The letter also criticizes Cassidy’s attempts to involve the FBI and DOJ, arguing his claims suggest pro-Palestinian protests are foreign influenced, which they call both false and dangerous. It warns against broader congressional efforts to intimidate and silence Muslim, Palestinian, Arab, and even Jewish organizations advocating for human rights in Palestine. The signatories reject the idea that student protests are orchestrated externally, asserting they reflect genuine American outrage at U.S. complicity in Palestinian civilian suffering. 

Analyst Comments: The involvement of so many faith-based organizations in this letter demonstrates that they are willing to position themselves as a buffer against perceived political overreach and a voice for human rights. As more religious communities speak out on Palestine, these groups are likely to become key players in shaping the discourse around dissent, surveillance, and civil liberties in America. As we indicated in our recent Threat Level Statement, the Israel/Hamas conflict continues to spur civil unrest. Organizations and individuals who protest this conflict, or any other cause are encouraged to do so safely, as we have seen plenty instances of violent clashes amongst protester groups in recent years. 

Countries Agree on Treaty Aimed at Preventing Global Health Crises 

The article from The New York Times reports that after over three years of negotiations, the WHO member states have reached a legally binding agreement to bolster global preparedness for future pandemics. This pact, shaped by the devastating impact of COVID-19 from 2020 to 2022, aims to enhance international coordination and resilience against emerging pathogens. Key proposals include creating a pathogen access and benefit-sharing system, diversifying global research capabilities, and establishing a robust global supply chain and logistics network. The agreement also emphasizes the importance of strengthening health systems’ readiness. Despite the United States withdrawing from the WHO and exiting negotiations under President Donald Trump’s administration earlier this year, the agreement is seen as a significant victory for multilateral cooperation and the global health body. The final proposal will be discussed at the World Health Assembly in May. Global health expert Nina Schwalbe hailed the deal as a historic affirmation of international collaboration, showcasing commitment from countries even in the absence of U.S. participation. 

Analyst Comments: The emphasis on pathogen data sharing is a step in the right direction, but only if there’s a parallel investment in trust-building. Countries won’t share sensitive health data unless they’re guaranteed fair access to the benefits like vaccines and diagnostics that come from it. The treaty lays out an ambitious vision for global pandemic coordination, but its success hinges on equitable participation.