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July 10, 2023
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NJOHSP Accepting Applications for Fall Internship Program
The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness is currently accepting applications for its 2023 paid fall internship program. Students enrolled full time in an accredited college, university or post graduate program are eligible to apply for an internship that runs from Sept. 11 through Dec. 15. Students are welcome to apply regardless of whether they are seeking college credits. The application window closes July 28. Applicants have the flexibility to provide their availability for in-person internships during a Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule in the agency’s Hamilton Township, West Trenton or Newark locations. Interns may work a maximum of 21 hours per week and within one of NJOHSP’s four mission areas: Counterterrorism, Preparedness, Cybersecurity and Administration. The program, also offered during the spring and summer semesters, helps interns develop and apply their educational training to a real-world setting as they explore various NJOHSP career paths. Under the guidance of a supervisor or mentor, interns work on ongoing projects, participate in field excursions, meetings and presentations, have access to online professional training courses and learn firsthand about NJOHSP partnerships with local, State and federal agencies. Many NJOHSP employees began their careers with an internship as the program also gives students the opportunity to network with staff members and partners.
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Additional Resources NJOHSP Internships | NJOHSP Fall Internship Application
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![New Jersey Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Cell](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/NJOHSP/2023/01/7012162/4571535/njccic-header-new_crop.png)
‘Christmas in July’ Phishing Campaign Attempts to Deliver Malware
The New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell identified a new phishing campaign targeting New Jersey public organizations using “Christmas in July” lures. The emails contain a link to a suspicious URL with a serving IP address located in Moscow and corresponding indicators of compromise that share similarities to those found in recent Truebot attacks. Clicking on the link redirects users through various proxies (1, 2, 3) to a final URL of precisiongroupsa[.]com/xzadf, which uses an Open File – Security Warning dialogue box to prompt the user to manually execute a JScript file. The script initiates a headless PowerShell in an attempt to run several processes; however, analysis found limited final payload at this time due to sandbox evasion techniques. NJCCIC advises users to ignore and delete these phishing emails, report the activity to their information technology department, if applicable, and avoid releasing these types of correspondence to their inbox from a quarantined environment. NJCCIC also advises organizations to implement filters at the email gateway to identify and block emails using known phishing tactics and those from suspicious IP addresses. Visit NJCCIC’s website for more information and recommendations.
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Additional Resources Incident Reporting | NJCCIC Membership Check Point Research Calls Online Shoppers to be Wary
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![New and Note Official](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/fancy_images/NJOHSP/2023/02/7210443/4594763/my-project-copy-1_crop.png) FBI Creates National Database to Track Swatting
With swatting incidents on the increase in the U.S., the FBI announced June 29 the creation of a national database to track the dangerous and sometimes deadly pranks, media outlets reported. Swatting is when a person contacts the police claiming there is a dangerous person, kidnapping or a mass shooting, hoping for SWAT teams or police to respond in force. To date, the database, in operation since May, has tracked 129 swatting incidents around the country. It’s the first time a central agency has tracked the hoax calls. There are an estimated 1,000 cases in the U.S. each year. Common targets include schools, college campuses and celebrities. There are no specific laws criminalizing swatting, however, authorities usually charge perpetrators under the “false Information and hoaxes” statute. “From my perspective, this is a form of terrorism,” said former FBI intelligence analyst Jennifer Doebler, who noted that dozens of schools received hoax active shooter threats in a single week in March. Earlier this year, at Harvard University, a caller claimed that four students had taken a woman hostage. Campus police burst into the students’ house after 4 a.m., aimed their rifles at the individuals and temporarily apprehended them. In 2021, a 60-year-old man from Tennessee died of a heart attack as police raided his house in a swatting incident. Recent advances in technology, including the use of artificial intelligence, have made it more difficult to catch individuals who carry out targeted swatting as bad actors can obscure their computer IP addresses and change their voice to mask their identity.
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Contact Information
For more information, please contact communications@njohsp.gov.
The NJOHSP Weekly Bulletin is a weekly publication of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and is intended to provide our constituents with finished intelligence and resiliency publications and announcements.
Report Suspicious Activity: Call 1-866-4-SAFE-NJ or email tips@njohsp.gov
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