Faith-Based Daily Awareness Post 3 July 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.

Cyber Fundamentals from FS-ISAC

FS-ISAC’s website provides 16 recommendations appropriate for all levels of cyber maturity. The website details:

• Know your network
• Regularly update and patch software
• Encrypt data at rest and in transit
• Use strong passwords for every employee, device, and account
• Require MFAs
• Use a zero-trust, least privilege policy with MFA
• Use VPNs
• Use backup systems to duplicate data and system configurations
• Develop an incident response plan specific to attack type
• Use firewalls, configured closed by default, with active blocking
• Train employees on their role in cybersecurity
• Keep a log of system activity
• Use secure configuration management
• Incorporate application security controls
• Harden your API controls

Analyst Comments:

While these recommendations are designed for financial institutions, they are very relevant for Faith-Based Organizations (FBO). FBO’s should consider reviewing these recommendations and adopting any that are appropriate.

Weekly Security Sprint EP 71. Playing the hits – hurricanes, ransomware, hostile events

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.

On this week’s Security Sprint, Dave and Andy tackle the all-hazards environment and applaud some exciting updates from FB-ISAO.

• DHS Faith-Based Security Advisory Council. Latest Recommendations:
  • June 24, 2024 | FBSAC Combatting Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA) Subcommittee Final Report
  • June 24, 2024 | FBSAC Countering and Responding to Targeted Violence and Terrorism (TVT) Subcommittee Final Report. This report has several references to FB-ISAO.
  • June 24, 2024 | FBSAC Countering Transnational Repression (TNR) Subcommittee Final Report. With contributions from FB-ISAO’s Mayya Saab.

Dave and Andy also discuss:

• Beryl! Sea Level Rise!!
• Cyber threats, frustrations and celebrating orgs taking a proactive approach to security and resilience!
• Hate, Extremism, Terrorism
• Social Media & Private Public Coordination International

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).