Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 16 April 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.

Best Practices for Securing Your Router / Wi-Fi – FB-ISAO

Did You know? If you don’t secure your Wi-Fi network, cyber threat actors can perform a number of operations that are detrimental to your privacy and security.

Faith-Based ISAO has published a blog on router security, with a link to FB-ISAO’s Best Practices for Securing Your Router / Wi-Fi.  

This product was developed by the FB-ISAO Cyber Threat Intelligence Working Group.

Get involved! Write to membership@faithbased-isao.org.

Analyst Comments:

Faith-Based Organizations (FBO) of all sizes should consider using this product to increase their cybersecurity. The product was specifically designed for FBOs and individual members.  

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

Follow Up to Assyrian Church Stabbing in Australia

Australia says Assyrian church stabbing was terrorist act

Australian police on Tuesday said a knife attack on an Assyrian church bishop and some followers in Sydney was a terrorist act motivated by suspected religious extremism, as the country reeled from a second stabbing incident in three days. At least four people were wounded in the attack, including Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel of the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church, when a man lunged at him with a knife during a service live-streamed on Monday. The incident at the western Sydney suburb of Wakeley triggered clashes outside the church between police and an angry crowd of the bishop’s followers who demanded the attacker be handed over to them. Police arrested a male teenager at the scene and were forced to hold him at the church for his own safety… (New South Wales state Police Commissioner Karen Webb said ) “After consideration of all the material, I declared that it was a terrorist incident.” Police said there was premeditation as the male attacker travelled to the church, far from his home, with a knife. But Webb said police at this early stage of the investigation believe the attacker was acting alone. Christ the Good Shepherd Church in a statement called the attack an isolated incident and said it was awaiting the police findings into the motive of the attacker.

Alleged teen terrorist’s disturbing knife history before Christian priest was stabbed in haunting livestream

An alleged teenage terrorist who police say repeatedly stabbed a Sydney bishop in a horrifying attack that was live-streamed on YouTube has been on a good behavior bond for knife-related crimes. Sky News and the ABC both report the 15-year-old had been on bail facing several offences, including possessing a flick knife, stalking and property damage, until facing court in January.

Related Articles:

• Tensions rise in Australia after a bishop and priest are wounded in a knife attack in a church
• Stabbed Sydney bishop is a TikTok star beloved by his community
• What constitutes a terrorist attack? What is Australia’s current terror threat level? And who decides those things?

Analyst Comments:

The Sydney Assyrian church stabbing is an example that an attacker does not “snap”. As is detailed in Gate 15’s White Paper: The Hostile Event Attack Cycle (HEAC), there are usually many indicators that an attack will occur. In a best-case scenario, the perpetrator is stopped during one of the steps in the attack cycle and an attack is prevented.