Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 06 March 2024

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.

Security-Minded Communications Guidance for Religious Establishments (NPSA)

The UK government’s National Protective Security Authority | NPSA provides information guidance for physical and personnel protective security. Among other security guidance on their website, the NPSA provides Security-Minded Communications guidance | NPSA. The NPSA uses the term “Hostile” for a person who wants to attack or disrupt an organisation for profit or to make a political or ideological point. Hostiles can be terrorists, organised criminals, those using illegal protest activity or threats from other states.

The NPSA provides a pdf providing security-minded communication guidance specifically for religious establishments. The SMC guidance for Religious Establishments | NPSA covers the following topics:

• Denying hostiles information
• Using communications to deter hostiles
• Religious festivals and events
• Links to further guidance and advice

The NPSA also provides a pdf on Security-Minded Communications – Guidance for Educational Settings.

Analyst Comments:

While the NPSA guidance was developed for Faith-Based Organizations (FBO) in the UK, the vast majority of the information is applicable to FBOs in the US. Security-minded communications can improve both cyber and physical security.  

CISA: Preventing Targeted Violence in Your Community: A Public Health-Informed Approach

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships (CP3) strengthens the Department’s ability to prevent targeted violence and terrorism, while safeguarding privacy and civil rights and civil liberties. While people usually hear about targeted violence after an attack has happened, it is vital that we help the public understand that preventing acts of targeted violence is possible. Through research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute of Justice, the DHS Science and Technology Directorate, and others, the Department of Homeland Security has embraced and is actively encouraging a public health-informed approach to preventing targeted violence and terrorism. This approach shifts our focus to locally led efforts that are multidisciplinary, whole-of-society, and which seek to ensure the health and well-being of individuals and their communities. Please join CP3 for this Prevention Forum, the first in our new series, which will offer a conversation with CP3 Director Bill Braniff and a panel of experts discussing how public health principles can help you prevent targeted violence and terrorism in your community.

• Event Speakers:
• Moderator: William Braniff,Director, Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships
• Panelists:
  • Rachel Neilsen, Owner & Clinical Psychologist at Nielsen Psychological Services
  • Sarah DeGue, PhD, Senior Scientist, CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention, Research & Evaluation Branch
  • Stevan Weine, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry at the UIC College of Medicine
  • Sharon Gilmartin,Deputy Director, Safe States Alliance
• Thu, Mar 14
• 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM EDT

CISA – Active Shooter Preparedness Webinar, Region 1 – 21 MAR 2024

THIS IS NOT A TACTICAL TRAINING COURSE

This training webinar was created by CISA to enhance awareness of, and response to, an active shooter incident.

Preparing employees for a potential active shooter incident is an integral component of an organization’s incident response planning. Because active shooter incidents are unpredictable and evolve quickly, preparing for and knowing what to do in an active shooter situation can be the difference between life and death. Every second counts.

Weekly Security Sprint EP 55. MDM, hostile events, health, and ransomware

The Gate 15 Security Sprint is a weekly rundown of the week’s notable all-hazards security news, risks and threats and some of the key focus areas for organizations to consider behind the headlines. Gate 15 team members discuss physical security, cybersecurity, natural hazards, health threats and other issues across our environment.

In this Week’s Security Sprint, Dave and Andy discuss:

• TribalHub hosts online Tribal Cybersecurity Summit March 7. Gate 15 is grateful to contribute to Tribal-ISAC and to facilitate the Opening Welcome and Keynote: Cybersecurity Organizational Structures and Best Practices Based Upon Tribe Size and Cyber Maturity Level!
• Health-ISAC Workshop: Enhancing Threat Awareness and Preparedness for Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Attacks in Health Services Facilities
• Healthcare sector “stretched thin” in fight against cyber attacks warns CSO of Health-ISAC
• PCAST Releases Report on Strategy for Cyber-Physical Resilience
• Content farm impersonates 60+ major news outlets, like BBC, CNN, CNBC
• Man Pleads Guilty to Firebombing Planned Parenthood Clinic and Plotting to Attack Electrical Substation
• CDC: Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Bulletin. 
• Ransomware Updates: Proofpoint: 2024 State of the Phish

The above Gate 15 Weekly Security Sprint website also provides links to many security-related items of interest.

Information on other Gate 15 podcasts can be found at Podcasts (gate15.global).