Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 24 October 2023

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. 

October 2023 Threat Level Statement Update – Threat Levels Raised to ELEVATED – FB-ISAO

The FB-ISAO Cyber Threat Intelligence, Operational Resilience (together, the Threat and Incident Response) working groups actively monitor and share information, reports, and perspective regarding our threat environment. In addition to our continued observance of a broad array of general threats and hostility to people and places of faith, we have reviewed the events and threats relating to the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza and the related activities internationally and domestically. Based on that assessment, we have determined to move both the Physical and Cyber Threat Levels to “ELEVATED” at this time. Additionally, we continue to have concerns over the general widespread acts of faith-based hostilities and open threats to faith-based organizations based on their religious and political beliefs – (including antisemitism, islamophobia, anti-Christian and anti-Sikh sentiment, etc.), regularly occurring acts of violence such as arson, vandalism, and low-level attacks including Swatting and bomb threats, as well as commodity cyberattacks seen in all communities including Business Email Compromise (BEC) and ransomware. Additionally, the TIG is closely monitoring the COVID-19 threat, events and rhetoric relating to the 2024 U.S. election season, along with other considerations that may pose direct or indirect risks to organizations. We will continue to closely monitor activities and continually reassess both threat levels and provide appropriate updates.

• The Physical Threat Level is “ELEVATED.” ELEVATED means that FB-ISAO is unaware of any specific threats, but there is concern that an event is more likely than normal. We are also closely monitoring events and are considering an escalation to “SEVERE,” meaning that an event is highly likely, but decided to not escalate to that level at this time.
• The Cyber Threat Level is “ELEVATED.” ELEVATED means that FB-ISAO is unaware of any specific threats, but there is concern that an event is more likely than normal.

Analyst Comments:

Faith-Based Organizations and individuals should read the entire October 2023 Threat Level Statement Update – Threat Levels Raised to ELEVATED – FB-ISAO post to receive detailed  information on why the threat levels were raised to elevated, ongoing incidents, current threats, recommendations, and multiple resources.

Weekly Security Sprint EP 39. ISIS call to action, ransomware, and FBI reporting (gate15.global)

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:

• ISIS Calls for Jewish Attacks Around the World
• New Portman Report Demonstrates Threat Ransomware Presents to the United States
• FBI Releases 2022 Crime in the Nation Statistics

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