Tag: Faith-Based Organization

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.

Special Gate 15 Podcast. Lakewood Church Shooting with Faith-Based ISAO

In this special podcast, Andy welcomes in Dave and key members of the FB-ISAO to talk about the Lakewood Church shooting. They looked at how the event unfolded, security processes, and lessons learned. The discussion focused on this incident but discusses ideas relevant to both all facilities and their security operations and to information sharing organizations and ideas on incident analysis and information sharing.

Guests include:

• Mayya Saab, the Executive Director of FB-ISAO
• Ed Heyman, Co-Chair of the FB-ISAO Operational Resilience Group (ORG) 
• Phil Froehlich, Co-Chair of the FB-ISAO ORG

Analyst Comments:

For those unfamiliar with the work of the FB-ISAO’s ORG, the ORG focuses on “identifying non-cybersecurity-related threats – those pertaining to man-made threats, natural hazards and health issues – relevant to the community and the associated risks, helping to inform the FB-ISAO physical threat level, developing actions members can consider given a specific threat level, and other activities relating to enhancing the awareness, security and resilience of our members and community, during both routine operations and during incidents relevant to the community.”

FB-ISAO members should reference this week’s FB-ISAO Advisory which will be published today for in-depth analysis of the incident. Below are additional updates on the Lakewood Shooting:

• Houston shooter at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church had 2 rifles, police say
• Jewish grandmother says Lakewood shooter worshiped at megachurch
• The Osteen Church Shooter Doesn’t Fit a Neat Profile
• Video shows shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church CBS Mornings on YouTube)
• What to know about the shooting at Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Texas during Sunday services
• Lakewood Church shooter was mentally troubled, consistently identified as female, police say
• Suspect legally purchased rifle used in Lakewood Church shooting, HPD says
• Following deadly Houston shooting, churches revisit safety protocols

FB-ISAO Newsletter, v6, Issue 2 – FB-ISAO

ICYMI. Yesterday the FB-ISAO published our February 2024 Newsletter, which is available to view on the FB-ISAO website and was distributed directly to members. Featured content includes an overview of 2023 threat data, a look into artificial intelligence and mapping tools, as well as upcoming events and initiatives from the ISAO.

Analyst Comments:

In addition to the noted stories, the Newsletter indicates that both the physical and cybersecurity threat levels have been set to “Elevated” which indicates that FBISAO is unaware of any specific events, but there is a concern that an event is more likely than normal.

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.

Lakewood Church Shooting Update

36-year-old Genesse Ivonne Moreno has been identified as the Lakewood Church shooter, according to Chris Hassig with Houston Police Department’s Homicide Unit. Moreno allegedly confronted an unarmed security guard outside the building before she was let in and began firing. “She displayed or possibly pointed a weapon at that security officer,” Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said at a Monday news briefing. He said he didn’t consider it a “security breach.”

By the time Moreno walked into Texas’ Lakewood Church on Sunday afternoon and opened fire, she already had left a trail of police encounters, court records, and social media posts her estranged say should have raised “red flags.” While her criminal charges came and went, on the civil side, records would show that Moreno has a long history of dealing with mental illness, and drug abuse. Moreno’s husband painted a troubling picture in divorce records obtained by ABC13 in Harris and Montgomery counties. Authorities have also reported coming across antisemitic writings.

Six women who live in the neighborhood in Conroe, a north Houston suburb, said Moreno targeted them, harassed them, threatened them, displayed firearms and made them fear being outside their homes.

Analyst Comments:

The team at Gate 15 briefly covered the shooting in their Security Sprint podcast this week, and expect to release a deeper dive into the incident this week, so be sure to check their podcast channel. This is an evolving situation, and we want to remind our community that members are sharing information related to the incident on FB-ISAO Slack in the #pir_01-fbo_imminent_violence_threat and the #og_us_terrrorism channels. As more details emerge, the FB-ISAO team continue to provide updates, particularly in regards to potential motive  

Below are additional open source links related to the Lakewood Shooting:

• Houston megachurch shooter also identified as mother of critically injured 7-year-old boy
• Lakewood Church shooting: Suspected shooter confronted unarmed guard; unclear who shot child
• Texas megachurch shooting suspect allegedly became ‘abusive’ to husband, posted rifle photo to IG
• Texas neighbors said they tried to sound the alarm about Houston church shooter for months
• ‘Antisemitic writings’ found in search of Joel Osteen megachurch shooter’s items
• Houston Megachurch Shooter Had an AR-15 and Brought Her 7-Year-Old Son
• Suspect legally purchased rifle used in Lakewood Church shooting, HPD says
• Officials search for motive as new details emerge about the shooter at a Houston megachurch
• Here’s what investigators were looking for at Lakewood Church shooter’s Conroe home
• Shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church ignites conversation around safety at Triangle churches
• A shooter opened fire in a Houston church. Gunfire has also scarred other Texas places of worship
• What does the Lakewood Church shooting now mean for security in places of worship?

As with all hostile events, the possibility of copycat attacks is always a concern. The community is encouraged to review their plans and procedures. Below are relevant resources:

• CISA’s Protecting Houses of Worship Resourcesprovide valuable tools and information on protecting Faith-Based Organizations.
• CISA’s Active Shooter Emergency Action Plan Product Suitedescribes the fundamental concepts of developing an Emergency Action Plan for an active shooter scenario.
• CISA’s Active Shooter Preparedness provides a series of materials to assist businesses, government offices, schools, and communities in preparing for and responding to an active shooter incident
• CISA’s Securing Public Gatherings resources assist organizations with developing incident response plans, training staff, and reporting concerns to emergency authorities to mitigate security risks.

FB-ISAO: The 2023 Threat Data in Review

FB-ISAO provides members with regular reporting of incidents directed at Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) throughout the year. Our incident reporting is derived from numerous sources including open-source reporting shared on the FB-ISAO Slack workspace as well as from our public and private partners at the federal, state, and local levels.  This reporting can help organizations understand the various threats and risks that they may face and can help inform risk mitigation strategies. In 2023, the Co-Chair of the FB-ISAO ORG conducted events-data research based on incidents reported or tracked. In total the FB-ISAO ORG recorded a total of 1,027 attacks on Houses of Worship (HOW) during 2023.

Analyst Comments:

Tracked incidents break down accordingly:

• 43% were against Protestant churches.
• 32% targeted Jewish synagogues.
• 14% were against Catholic churches.
• 5% targeted mosques.

According to the research, nearly half of the incidents were property crimes, followed by threats of violence. The following is a breakdown by FBO in order of requency/volume:

• Protestant churches faced vandalism, theft, arson, assaults, and graffiti.

• Jewish synagogues and temples encountered bomb threats, harassment, graffiti, other threats, and assaults.

• Catholic churches were hit by vandalism, theft, threats, arson, assaults, and graffiti.
• Mosques were victim of vandalism, assaults, theft, graffiti, and arson.

A briefing has been held with FB-ISAO members to review the 2023 threat data. The recording is available on the FB-ISAO Slack workspace. Members can access the recording on demand. If you are not yet a member of FB-ISAO, consider joining here.

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.

Shooting at Lakewood Church in Texas

As was sent to members in an alert earlier today, at approximately 2:00pm CT on Sunday 11 February, police confirmed that a woman entered the Lakewood Church, Joel Osteen’s megachurch about 6 miles from downtown Houston and began firing. The shooter died at the scene, while a child is in critical condition and another man has been injured.

Police have not shared details about a possible motive in the shooting or said what the woman’s relationship is to the child who accompanied her. The injured man was shot in the leg and sought treatment at a hospital, Finner said.

Analyst Comments:

The shooter used an AR-15 that had “Free Palestine” written on it, according to a federal law enforcement source. Investigators are trying to determine whether she was politically motivated or a disturbed individual, the source said. The shooter also threatened that she had a bomb, but authorities searched her vehicle and backpack and found no explosives, the Houston police chief said.

Members are sharing information related to the incident on FB-ISAO Slack in the #pir_01-fbo_imminent_violence_threat and the #og_us_terrrorism channels. As more details emerge, the FB-ISAO team will likely issue an advisory on the incident this week.

As with all hostile events, the possibility of copycat attacks is always a concern. The community is encouraged to review their plans and procedures. Below are relevant resources:

• CISA’s Protecting Houses of Worship Resourcesprovide valuable tools and information on protecting Faith-Based Organizations.
• CISA’s Active Shooter Emergency Action Plan Product Suitedescribes the fundamental concepts of developing an Emergency Action Plan for an active shooter scenario.
• CISA’s Active Shooter Preparedness provides a series of materials to assist businesses, government offices, schools, and communities in preparing for and responding to an active shooter incident
• CISA’s Securing Public Gatherings resources assist organizations with developing incident response plans, training staff, and reporting concerns to emergency authorities to mitigate security risks.

Webinar: Spring Safety and Security Religious Holiday Briefing

Please join FEMA’s Voluntary Agency Coordination Section and the DHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships for the February VOISE call. The topic of the call is a spring safety and security religious holiday briefing that will provide attendees information, points of contact and considerations to prepare their facilities for upcoming religious observances and other public gatherings.

Analyst Comments:

The call is being held on February 21, from 2:00-3:30pm ET. Click here to register for the event.

How the Israel-Hamas War Fuels Extremism in the U.S. and Beyond

In this article, Law Fare reviews how the rise in anti-Jewish and anti-Arab/Muslim incidents since Oct. 7 has provided fertile ground for the spread of extremism domestically. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco updated the public on Dec. 24, 2023, that the Justice Department received over 1,800 hate crime-related reports since Oct. 7 and that the threat of extremism today has shifted considerably compared to the nature of extremism since the 9/11 attacks. 

Analyst Comments:

According to the authors, “Scholars of political violence argue that polarization is a favorable condition for increased mass mobilization despite not being the sole factor leading radicalized individuals to act based on their beliefs. The spillover effect in the United States is already visible through violent acts by radicalized individuals as well as patterns of increased mass mobilization. What we are now witnessing might be a prototype of future patterns of extremism manifesting based on opportunities offered by the sociopolitical environment rather than being expressions of plotted or planned activism. This is now the backdrop heading into an already-charged 2024 presidential election year. Judging by the rhetoric of candidates, the 2024 presidential election promises to carry the same tensions as the previous two election cycles. This adds to the tensions and unpredictability of confrontations between protesters and counter protesters regardless of political platform.” 

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.

CISA Release Violence Prevention Through De-Escalation Video

Yesterday, CISA released of a new resource titled, Violence Prevention through De-escalation Video, to help critical infrastructure and public gathering location stakeholders identify concerning behaviors and mitigate the risk of an incident of targeted violence.

Analyst Comments:

As we anticipate continued protest activity over a number of social and political topics this year, these resources can be valuable to both security and non-security personnel on conflict resolution strategies.

Islamic State, Al-Qaeda Call for Violence Against Jewish Communities Following October 7 Attack

An unclassified National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) Operations Center Alert released on 8 February which details a recent video release from AQAP titled “Jihad for the Sake of Allah is the Solution”. The 9 minute 20 second video featured Shaykh Kubaib al-Sudani. The narrator of the video and Sudani called for lone actor attacks against Jews, Christians, and unbelievers – especially in the West – to promote jihad and free Palestine, according to social media.

Analyst Comments:

The video featured several well-known lone actor attacks, including the 2009 Fort Hood Shooting by U.S. Army Major Nidal Hassan who was described as a “good model and example” for lone actors. These pieces of propaganda are of course not new, but should serve as reminders that the intent to conduct attacks remains, and that houses of worship are attractive topics. If additional information related to this most recent video is released, those details will be shared in the FB-ISAO Slack Workspace, which we encourage all members to be active participants in.

LA LIÑA LOOKS LIKELY

The current El Niño is now one of the strongest on record, new data shows, catapulting it into rare “super El Niño” territory, but forecasters believe that La Niña is likely to develop in the coming months. A La Niña watch is now in effect, meaning conditions are favorable for a La Niña to form within the next six months, according to a forecast released by the CPC Thursday.

Analyst Comments:

La Niñas often produce the opposite weather patterns as El Niño, including a more active Atlantic hurricane season. La Niña conditions were in place for a portion of the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record: 2020.

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.

White House officials to visit Michigan to meet with Muslim and Arab American community leaders

Senior Biden administration aides will travel to Michigan on Thursday to hear directly from Muslim and Arab American community leaders on their top issues and concerns, including, most notably, the Israel-Hamas war and civilian casualties in Gaza. The White House teased the upcoming visit to Michigan when President Joe Biden traveled to Detroit last week for a labor-focused event with the United Auto Workers union.

Analyst Comments:

Expected White House participants include Steve Benjamin, senior adviser to the president and director of the Office of Public Engagement; Tom Perez, senior adviser and director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs; Jon Finer, principal deputy national security adviser; Samantha Power, USAID administrator; Jamie Citron, principal deputy director of the Office of Public Engagement; Dan Kosh, director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs; and Mazen Basraw, National Security Council director for partnerships and global engagement.

According to NBC News, the meeting with Muslim and Arab American community leaders in Detroit is a White House-driven event. Biden campaign officials are not planning to participate at this time.

Hundreds of Jewish creatives have names, details taken in leak, published online

The Age is reporting that Anti-Zionist activists have published the names, images, professions and social media accounts of hundreds of Jewish people working in academia and creative industries, in an escalation of social tensions over the October 7 attacks and subsequent war in Gaza. The dissemination of almost 600 names and their personal details was taken from the purported membership of a private WhatsApp Group formed last year by Jewish writers, artists, musicians and academics.

Analyst Comments:

As we continue to see the events in Gaza having impacts across the globe, and communities and individuals being targeted with harassment, vandalism, and hostile events, it is important for anyone who feels they may be in a position to be targeted, either with physical violence or online, to take necessary precautions. A few CISA resources we have previously shared include:

• Personal Security Considerations Action Guide
• Identity Theft and Personal Cyber Threats
• Online Privacy

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.

NYPD reports 31 antisemitic incidents in January as surge continues four months after Oct. 7

The NYPD reported “31 antisemitic hate crimes in January,” continuing the trend of increased incidents since the October 7^th invasion of Israel. “Since the start of October, there have been 193 antisemitic incidents reported to police, nearly double the 100 incidents reported during the same four-month period last year.”

Analyst Comments:

Recent incidents include violence against Jewish residents, threats of violence against Jewish residents, “threats against synagogues and graffiti against elected officials and art galleries.” As these threats range beyond Jewish individuals, members are encouraged to maintain heightened awareness, especially if their organization is connected with or perceived to be connected with the Jewish community, due to location or other factors.

As both Jewish and Muslim communities have been increasingly targeted with hate speech and violence since the start of the Israel/Hamas war, members are encouraged to look beyond their front doors to help ensure more security in their neighborhoods. The New York Post has reported that a New York City doorman is being hailed as a hero after he stepped up to help a young woman who was chased down by two robbers and pushed against a wall over the weekend in a brazen, broad-daylight attack.

Iran accelerates cyber ops against Israel from chaotic start

Since Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, Iranian government-aligned actors have launched a series of cyberattacks and influence operations (IO) intended to help the Hamas cause and weaken Israel and its political allies and business partners. Many of Iran’s immediate operations after October 7 were hasty and chaotic – indicating it had little or no coordination with Hamas – but it nevertheless has achieved growing success.

Analyst Comments:

Key findings of Microsoft’s report include:

• A 42% increase in traffic, in the first week of the war, to news sites run by or affiliated to the Iranian state. Even three weeks later, this traffic was still 28% above pre-war levels.
• Despite early Iranian claims, many “attacks” in the early days of the war were either “leaking” old material, using pre-existing access to networks or were false.
• Iran’s activity quickly grew from nine Microsoft-tracked groups active in Israel during the first week of the war to 14, two weeks into the war. Cyber-enabled influence operations went from roughly one operation every other month in 2021 to 11 in October 2023 alone.
• As the war progressed, Iranian actors expanded their geographic scope to include attacks on Albania, Bahrain and the USA. They also increased their collaboration, enabling greater specialization and effectiveness.

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.

Hamilton Jewish community spent $200K on security but members still afraid, says federation president

A Jewish group in Hamilton, Canada is asking police to provide protection services at no cost to the group, after spending over $200,000 to have off-duty police guard schools and synagogues since Oct. 7. The services have been required because of the fear community members have for their safety since the most recent conflict between Israel and Hamas began. The cost to pay for additional support is unsustainable, said Jason Waxman, president of the Hamilton Jewish Federation (HJF).

Javid Mirza, president of the Muslim Association of Hamilton (MAH), said police have increased patrols at the Mountain Mosque as well but the association will turn to community members if they need additional support. As CBC Hamilton recently reported, Hamilton police logged 26 hate crimes and incidents between Oct. 7, 2023 and Jan. 12, with 21 targeting the Jewish community and five targeting the Muslim community. Those include bomb threats, graffiti and threats. That number, over a three month period, is already half as many antisemitic occurrences and the same number of anti-Muslim occurrences as in all of 2022, when comparing police data. 

Analyst Comments:

Waxman said that the HJF raised almost $600,000 since Oct. 7 from within the community for other security measures including fencing, cameras, concrete fixtures to prevent car ramming, and bullet-proof vests for volunteer security. He told CBC Hamilton that although hiring private security would likely be cheaper than hiring off-duty police, security guards are not armed.

Organizations that are considering security enhancements to their facilities are encouraged to review the Physical Security Performance Goals for Faith-Based Communities which were developed by the FB-ISAO and CISA. For those who are not already involved in FB-ISAO’s Slack workspace, that is an excellent forum for sharing security best practices.

CAIR Calls for Hate Crime Charge in Stabbing Attack on Young Muslims After Pro-Palestine Protest

The Austin office, Dallas office and national headquarters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, called on state and federal law enforcement authorities to file hate crime charges against Bert James Baker, the man accused of attacking a group of young Muslims after a pro-Palestinian protest, stabbing and seriously injuring a 23-year-old Palestinian-American.

Analyst Comments:

CAIR and local community leaders plan to hold a press conference about the incident today, Feb. 6 at 11:00 A.M. local time outside of City Hall in Austin, Texas. Three of the victims are Palestinian-Americans, including the 23 year-old who was stabbed. CAIR recently released new civil rights data showing that it has received 3,578 complaints during the last three months of 2023 amid an ongoing wave of anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian hate.

Spotting and Reporting Investment Scams Targeting Older Investors

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy is issuing this Investor Alert to help identify if an older investor has been a victim of investment fraud, and to explain how to report it to appropriate authorities.

Analyst Comments:

It is important to spread awareness of these types of scams in order to protect aging members of our communities. According to the alert, indicators include:

• Guaranteed returns or promises of high returns with little or no risk;
• Repeated investments or repeated requests from the same person(s) for investments or money;
• High pressure sales tactics;
• The investor has little or no understanding of what he or she invested in;
• No paperwork or written details of the investment;
• Unusual or unexplained account withdrawals, wire transfers or other drastic investment changes; and
• Salespersons who are not properly licensed (you can check using the search tool at Investor.gov).

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.

LockBit Ransomware Gang Claims Responsibility for Attack on Saint Anthony Hospital

The LockBit ransomware gang has added Chicago’s Saint Anthony Hospital to its data leak site and is demanding a ransom payment of almost $900,000 from the nonprofit hospital to prevent the release of the stolen data. Last week, Saint Anthony Hospital confirmed that it was still investigating the attack, which was detected on December 18, 2023.

Analyst Comments:

Saint Anthony Hospital has indicated the ransom will not be paid. “As a vital safety-net hospital to the people in the communities we serve, we are dedicated to using our resources to care for our community’s most vulnerable and not to rewarding the illegal actions of bad actors,” said CIO Jeff Eilers. To learn more about LockBit, to include please reference this threat actor profile which was compiled by an international consortium of cybersecurity agencies.

California battered by ‘potentially historic’ storm

Over 500,000 customers are without power in California as of Monday morning, mostly in the northern and central parts of the state, although Los Angeles is also reporting 4,000 powerless homes and businesses. Some 38 million people are covered by flood alerts due to a weather system the National Weather Service said could be “potentially historic.” Heavy rain led to mandatory evacuations for parts of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties on Sunday and firefighters rescued 16 people from a single street in Los Angeles as mudslides caused havoc.

Analyst Comments:

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) declared a state of emergency in eight heavily populated counties across Southern California: Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo and Ventura. “This is a serious storm with dangerous and potentially life-threatening impacts. Please pay attention to any emergency orders or alerts from local officials,” Newsom said in a statement shared on his website.

Virtual Event: Preventing Mass Attacks In Our Communities

In this event, researchers from the US Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center discuss their findings on mass attacks perpetrated in public and semi-public spaces, including businesses, restaurants, bars, retail outlets, houses of worship, schools, open spaces and more. Based on these findings, guidance will be provided on how communities may develop or improve existing violence prevention programs using a behavioral threat assessment model.

Analyst Comments:

Click Here To Register. Available Training Dates:

• April 4, 2024 | 12:00 – 2:00 pm EST
• June 5, 2024 | 12:00 – 2:00 pm EST
• August 7, 2024 | 12:00 – 2:00 pm EST

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.

Hostages at Procter & Gamble plant outside Istanbul rescued after 9-hour ordeal

Turkish police have released seven workers taken hostage by a pro-Palestinian gunman at a Procter & Gamble plant near Istanbul in protest at the war in Gaza. Turkish media earlier published an image of one of the purported suspects inside the factory – a man wearing what appeared to be a rudimentary explosives belt and holding a handgun. The US embassy in Ankara issued a warning in November about demonstrations “critical of US foreign policy” and calls for boycotts of US businesses. The advice followed protests and attacks on outlets such as McDonald’s and Starbucks over the Gaza conflict.

Analyst Comments:

We have seen plenty of examples over the last several years of protest activity morphing into hostile events. It is more important than ever for organizations to review how they are maintaining situational awareness within their communities to identify times when the threat environment is heightened and these type of incidents are more likely. Maintaining good relations with local law enforcement, and having an active presence on the FB-ISAO Slack Workspace are two excellent ways to maintain situational awareness.

Additional protest activity of note:

• 19 Pro-Palestinian Protesters Arrested After Blocking DC Roads
• CAIR-Philadelphia to Join ‘Pilgrimage for Peace’ from Philadelphia to D.C. Demanding Gaza Ceasefire
• National week of action: Stop U.S./Israeli genocide in Gaza!
• CAIR-GA, Partners Demand Emory U Protect Palestinian, Muslim and Arab Students (Video)
• Affordable housing rally in Porto turns antisemitic
• British teen arrested by counter-terror police over London Palestine demo

The top threats facing the 2024 election

The 2024 presidential election is likely to face a complicated array of threats, from voter manipulation to physical violence, according to a new federal assessment — and authorities are already trying to figure out how to handle them.

Analyst Comments:

ICYMI, we have previously shared in Slack the DHS bulletin which details “The 2024 presidential election is likely to face a complicated array of threats, from voter manipulation to physical violence, according to a new federal assessment — and authorities are already trying to figure out how to handle them.”

The analysis continued, “Elections that involve candidates connected to issues that historically have prompted violence — including COVID-19 mandates, firearms restrictions, or abortion access — face a heightened threat environment,” the analysis said. “DHS is concerned with identifying and disrupting possible violent acts perpetrated by entities or individuals as retribution for perceived unfavorable outcomes before or following the elections.”

The fallout from the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court decision is an example of faith-based organizations being increasingly targeted as a result of polarizing social issues which have been politicized.

Synagogue ‘swatting’ prompts legislation to increase penalties in Arizona

Following hoax calls last year that triggered police responses to Arizona synagogues, a Republican proposal would increase the penalties for “swatting” in the Grand Canyon State. The online form of harassment, known as swatting, features a hoaxer tricking police to respond to fake emergencies or bomb threats, often with heavily armed SWAT teams. Swatting is frequently used to harass individual people at their residences. Last year, the incidents were used to target places of worship. 

Analyst Comments:

The New York Times reported last year that 26 such swatting calls were made in 12 states. The Arizona Mirror was the first to report some of those calls targeted Arizona congregations. House Bill 2508 adds schools and places of worship to the state’s false reporting law. It also increases the penalties for those who violate it from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 6 felony, the least severe felony charge in Arizona law. 

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.

The CCP Cyber Threats to the American Homeland and National Security

FBI Director Christopher Wray, Commander of U.S. Cyber Command General Paul Nakasone, and CISA Director Jen Easterly were among official who briefed the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party yesterday. Wray indicated that hackers linked to the Chinese government are targeting critical U.S. infrastructure, preparing to cause “real-world harm” to Americans, FBI Director Christopher Wray told a congressional committee on Wednesday.

Water treatment plants, the electric grid, oil and natural gas pipelines and transportation hubs are among the targets of state-sponsored hacking operations, and while Easterly noted that the United States has “found and eradicated” Chinese cyber intrusions in aviation, water, energy and transportation infrastructure, and said Americans need to prepare for an unexpected attack.

Analyst Comments:

Wray noted that “To combat this threat, the FBI has over 1,000 cyber personnel distributed throughout the United States who respond to incidents every single day. As the most geographically distributed cyber workforce in the federal government, the FBI responds to intrusions that affect not only U.S. critical infrastructure and big-name corporations, but also small businesses, our schools, and local government services in the communities you represent.”

Within her comments Easterly implored organizations to “double down on their commitment to resilience. They must expect and prepare for an attack, continually testing and exercising the continuity of critical systems to ensure they can operate through disruption and recover rapidly to continue to provide services to the American people.”  

• Director Wray’s Opening Statement to the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party
• Opening Statement by CISA Director Jen Easterly
• US officials deliver warning that Chinese hackers are targeting infrastructure
• S. Government Disrupts Botnet People’s Republic of China Used to Conceal Hacking of Critical Infrastructure

23andMe data breach targeted Jews

For five months last year, hackers penetrated the security of the DNA-sequencing company 23andMe, resulting in customer data appearing for sale in “curated” lists that focused on Chinese customers and Ashkenazi Jews. A new class action suit filed in San Francisco on Jan. 26 seeks to hold 23andMe responsible for not protecting users’ private information and not notifying them of the breach. The company apparently didn’t learn about the crime until a hacker posted on Reddit revealing some of the stolen information.

Analyst Comments:

On Oct. 17, an alleged threat actor by the name “Golem” said he possessed data on “wealthy families serving Zionism” that he offered to sell. “The leaked data could empower Hamas, their supporters and various international extremist groups to target the American Jewish population and their families,” said Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.Y.).

CISA has developed several Personal Security Consideration Guides which may be useful for members to review, particularly if they feel there is potential for themselves or their communities to be targeted with violence in the current threat environment.

• Personal Security Considerations
• Personal Security Considerations Action Guide: Critical Infrastructure Workers