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.
Exclusive: ‘A more vulnerable nation’: FEMA memos lay out risks of plan to cut $1B in disaster and security grants
FEMA has proposed cutting nearly $1 billion in grant funding for communities and first responders nationwide to prepare for disasters and to bolster security for possible terror or cyberattacks. If approved from the White House budget office and Congress this would zero out funding for more than half of FEMA’s emergency management and homeland security programs. FEMA Administrator David Richardson says that the cuts FEMA faced are a way to “focus on appropriate spending for the Agency’s core mission in emergency management”. It is also being discussed that there are plans to eliminate funding for the Next Generation Warning System initiative which is designed to modernize and improve the nation’s public alert and warning capabilities for severe storms and other emergencies.
Analyst Comments: These proposed FEMA cuts raise serious concerns about national disaster readiness and security posture in a time that there is heightened climate, cyber, and terrorism-related risks. While FEMA’s leadership frames the cuts as a refocus on “core mission”, reducing nearly $1 billion from grants that strengthen local preparedness, emergency communications, and critical warning systems leaves risk for states and local government who may not have the resources during heightened times. Given FEMA’s proposed cuts, communities, organizations, and individuals may consider proactively strengthening their own preparedness and advocacy efforts, and ensuring they maintain good contacts with state and local officials in order to understand the operational environment in their area.
AI-powered impersonation scams are up 148%
A new Moonlock report highlights that AI impersonation scams have surged by 148% even as the total of reported cybercrimes has dropped, with affected victims now experiencing higher financial losses. Cybercriminal gangs are leveraging AI to enhance and scale impersonation scams, targeting victims more precisely by mimicking voices, faces, and writing styles within minutes, making phishing emails, calls, and messages appear convincingly real. These scams often impersonate tech companies, financial institutions, and government agencies. The scammers often using tactics like email spoofing, fake websites, and deepfake calls. Data stolen in these scams, including passports and medical insurance cards, is increasingly sold on the dark web, fueling real-world and digital crimes.
Analyst Comments: It is important to slow down before clicking links, double-checking sender identities, using multifactor authentication, and adopting the “Take 9” pause approach to help users stay vigilant as scammers continue to evolve with AI-driven precision. Alongside, the White House just released their AI action plan as well.
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