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.
FAQs: What is Generative AI and How Can It Help Ministry Leaders?
A Church Tech Today article explains the basic concepts of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and how it can help ministry leaders.
“Generative AI refers to a type of artificial intelligence that can generate new content and insights. It utilizes machine learning and natural language processing to analyze large datasets, identify patterns, and produce original text, images, audio, video, and more. Generative AI models like ChatGPT are trained on massive amounts of data from the internet, books, and other sources to learn how to respond to prompts with high-quality outputs.”
The article provides examples of current AI uses, practical applications for ministry leaders, and limits of use. The article also argues that AI is unlikely to replace ministry leaders and offers potential ways to start benefiting from generative AI.
Analyst Comment:
Generative AI is a tool that the faith-based community should understand and consider using. Reading the above article would be a good start to evaluating its usefulness, but before using AI, the risks of AI should be fully appreciated.
The risks associated with generative AI are significant and rapidly evolving. The risks are present for those creating material with AI and those receiving AI material.
A wide array of threat actors have already used the technology to create “deep fakes” or copies of products, and generate artifacts to support increasingly complex scams.
Gartner provides additional information and further explains the risks of AI.
Below are articles on an incident related to the synagogue “swatting incidents” highlighted in Friday and Monday’s Daily Awareness Post
Report of Shooter Panics Capitol Hill, but Police Find Nothing
After an urgent search on a quiet day at the Capitol, the police said the threat report might have been a “bogus call.”
The Senate went into lockdown Wednesday afternoon following reports of an active shooter on the Capitol campus, sparked by “a concerning 911 call,” according to Capitol Police.
Details: Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger said that officers were able to respond “in seconds” after receiving a 911 call at 2:30 p.m. saying there was an active shooter. But in the end, there was no confirmation that an active shooter was on campus.
“This may have been a bogus call,” Manger said.
The USCP Remains Vigilant Following False Active Shooter Report
Analyst Comment:
It is impossible for Faith-Based Organizations (FBO) to have the type of protective measures and security protocols at the US Capitol complex, but the persistent, heightened threat environment indicates that FBOs should plan and prepare for all potential contingencies.
A valuable resource for protecting FBO facilities is CISA’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency: Security of Soft Targets and Crowded Places-Resources Guide.
Get the Daily Awareness Post Delivered to your Email!
More Faith-Based Stories
OH: Local church vandalized twice, 2 juveniles arrested
NY: Ellenville police investigating vandalism of Jewish flag as possible hate crime
Antisemite captured in NY after disgraceful rampage
DOJ: Missouri Man Sentenced for Setting Fire to Islamic Center
Rudy Giuliani: Jewish Men Have ‘Small’ and ‘Unused’ Genitalia, Transcripts Reveal
Pittsburgh synagogue shooter who killed 11 and wounded 6 others sentenced to death
US Supreme Court Justice Jackson to Speak at Church Bombing Anniversary in Birmingham
MD Muslim and Christian Parents clash over LGBTQ+ books at MCPS board meeting
Catholic Diocese Agrees to Pay $100 Million Settlement to Hundreds of Abuse Victims
Sweden and Denmark consider ban on Quran-burning protests as security fears rise
Canada: Jews remain most targeted religious group for hate crime
Select All-Hazards Stories
Most drugs made at tornado-ravaged Pfizer plant available from other suppliers, experts say
13 injured in South Korea when a man rams a car onto a sidewalk, stabs pedestrians
Donald Trump: Security ramped up ahead of court appearance
Maryland man facing multiple charges after stealing explosive devices from job
Niger: Travel Advisory Raised to Level 4 – Do Not Travel
Summer Heat Across the South and Southwest; Severe Thunderstorm Threats Increasing and Expanding. National Weather Service
Extreme Heat Threatens the Health of Unborn Babies
The CDC sees signs of a late summer COVID wave
Pig butchers caught using ChatGPT to con victims
Midnight Blizzard conducts targeted social engineering over Microsoft Teams
New variants found of malware that targets Facebook business accounts
Midnight Blizzard conducts targeted social engineering over Microsoft Teams
What is the Difference Between Ransomware and Data Wipers?
Meta releases an open source AI kit that creates audio from text prompts
Microsoft’s AI-infused sidebar rolls out to Windows 11 beta testers
Mozilla Releases Security Updates for Firefox and Firefox ESR
More Security-focused Content
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.
