NJOHSP Reports Increased Federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program Funding; NJOHSP, Salem County to Host Houses of Worship Security Program; Vendor Email Compromise Phishing Emails; Kenya Military Confirms Al-Shabaab Using Drones for Surveillance

The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness will receive $30.2 million in federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program funding for federal fiscal year 2023, an increase of $11.3 million from the previous year, according to NJOHSP's Grants Management Bureau. NJOHSP, the designated State Administrative Agency for the federal NSGP, receives funding annually from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for nonprofit organizations at high risk of a terrorist attack. Funding is based on an applicant’s risk, which includes threats, vulnerabilities and consequences. The NSGP provides eligible nonprofit organizations throughout the state an opportunity to apply for this competitive grant program to enhance their physical security, hire security personnel and invest in training, exercise and planning initiatives.

As part of its ongoing outreach efforts to faith-based organizations, the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, in conjunction with the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is offering a Houses of Worship Security Program August 22.

• Date: Tuesday, August 22, 2023
• Time: 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Registration begins at 5 p.m.)
• Location: PSEG Energy & Environmental Resource Center
• Address: 244 Chestnut Street, Salem, NJ 08079
• Register: forms.office.com/g/JyihyppUMN

Religious leaders and houses of worship safety and security committee members of all faiths in the immediate areas are welcome to attend. Interested parties must register prior to each seminar. For more information, email training@njohsp.gov.

The New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell continues to receive reports of impersonation scams in which threat actors pose as trusted vendors. Since the emails came from compromised vendor accounts, the sender's email address and domain appeared normal to the recipients. Analysts determined that the targeted customer organizations were primarily critical infrastructure organizations, including those in the healthcare, logistics and manufacturing industries. NJCCIC advises users to refrain from opening attachments or clicking links delivered in suspicious or unexpected communications, including those from known senders, and should carefully examine unsolicited communications before taking action. For more information and recommendations, visit the NJCCIC’s website.

Kenyan security forces have increased their operations along the country’s 422-mile border with Somalia in response to recent drone usage and attacks by al-Shabaab, a Somali-based militant group with links to al-Qa’ida. The string of attacks against Kenya Defense Forces outposts in Garissa, Lamu and Mandera North counties forced the government to reverse its plans to reopen border crossings with Somalia. Kenyan officials confirmed that al-Shabaab is now using commercial drones in their operations following an attack against a military outpost in Sirari, Tanzania. Security forces there killed a suspected suicide bomber and brought down a drone that al-Shabaab fighters were using to gather intelligence ahead of the attack. Al-Shabaab has not been able to militarize its drones by adding explosives or other weapons because commercially available drones are too small to deliver payloads. Large, military-grade drones are expensive and typically sold only to state actors. The incident, however, raises concerns that the militant group may expand its drone usage to gather strategic information on potential targets, assess enemy forces’ strength, identify infrastructure and pinpoint vulnerable sites. A researcher at the University of Stavanger in Norway noted that ISIS and al-Qa’ida have developed weaponized drones for use in the Middle East. There is concern ISIS and al-Qa’ida may use the technology in Africa, where they are also active.