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Biweekly Homeland Security Insights for a Safer New Jersey |
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‘See Something, Say Something’ | NJ Security Spotlight Update
During this holiday season, NJOHSP reminds the public to stay alert for signs of physical and cyber threats and that if you “See Something, Say Something.” To report suspicious activity, contact your local police or NJOHSP’s Counter-Threat Watch Unit at 866-4-SAFE-NJ (866-472-3365) or at tips@njohsp.gov. Report suspicious cyber activity to the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell on its website.
NJOHSP will not publish the NJ Security Spotlight on December 25, due to the holiday. We will resume publication in the New Year on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
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Recent Agency News
College Students Conclude NJOHSP Fall Internship Program
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 NJOHSP’s fall internship program concluded earlier this month with five interns from Northeastern University, Rutgers University, Kean University, Rowan University, and Monmouth University completing the program. The interns honed their skills, gained work experience, and added value to NJOHSP. The interns assisted with the following projects:
- Created travel security sheets for New Jersey employees outlining security situations in various countries
- Conducted an analysis of ideologically related extremism in New Jersey, which aids in assessing the threat level
- Learned how staff builds resilience against threats through the administration of grant programs. NJOHSP is the State Administrative Agency for the federal Nonprofit Security Grant Program
- Contributed to equipping County Counter-Threat Coordinators and Municipal Counter-Threat Coordinators with information about NJOHSP regarding the importance of physical security assessments, how to request an assessment, and the manner in which comprehensive physical security assessments are conducted.
- Examined infostealer malware to exfiltrate sensitive data, assisted in security monitoring, and compiled intelligence products.
NJOHSP appreciates their contributions, and wishes the students continued success in their future endeavors. NJOHSP offers internship programs during the spring, summer, and fall semesters to students enrolled full time in an accredited college, university, or post graduate program. Students may receive college-approved credits for completed internships. NJOHSP began offering paid internships beginning with its 2023 summer program; however, the State recently imposed a hiring and salary freeze. For more information about the internship programs, visit the NJOHSP website.
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Religious Communities and Facilities Remain an Attractive Target for Extremists
On November 25, John Reardon, of Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in federal court to threatening to kill members of the Jewish community and bomb synagogues. Authorities arrested Reardon on January 25 after he called two synagogues and left threatening voicemails. Following his arrest, authorities discovered Reardon also harassed and intimidated the Israeli Consulate by calling the office 98 times between October 7, 2023, and January 2024. Reardon pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs by threat of force, one count of transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure a person, and one count of stalking using a facility of interstate commerce.
Analyst Comment: Threat actors with varying ideologies will rely on harassment and intimidation tactics to threaten their perceived enemies and disrupt the daily operations of public and private organizations. Religious communities and facilities remain an attractive target for both domestic and homegrown violent extremists due to a supporter’s violent ideology that seeks to target ethnic and religious minorities.
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NJCCIC: Beware of the Latest Cyber Threats Targeting You This Holiday Season
The holiday season presents an attractive target for financially motivated cybercriminals who seek to exploit online retailers and shoppers. Despite the challenges posed by high inflation rates, the National Retail Federation predicts a three to four percent increase in retail sales for the 2024 holiday season compared to 2023. The number of data breaches targeting the retail sector in 2024 has already reached unprecedented levels, with the cost of data breaches reaching $2.96 million, an 18 percent increase from 2023. Online transactions are expected to rise as consumers seek deals and discounts, while broader economic factors, including general inflation, will continue influencing consumer spending. Certain cyber threats increase during the holiday season, requiring consumers to stay alert and informed to prevent victimization. For information on these threats, examples, and ways to identify them, see the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell’s (NJCCIC) latest alerts and advisories.
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Upcoming NJOHSP Webinar for NSGP-NSS Grant Applicants
NJOHSP will be hosting a webinar regarding the Nonprofit Security Grant Program - National Security Supplemental (NSGP-NSS) on Friday, December 13. The webinar is intended to provide insight on the proper submission of an application, including some of the new conditions imposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The application period is currently open and will close on Sunday, December 22, 2024.
Register now for the webinar:
Additional information about the NSGP-NSS is available on the NJOHSP Grants web page.
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NJOHSP-Coordinated Training
All NJOHSP-coordinated training courses are posted on the NJOHSP State Training Calendar. The calendar provides a course description, training location, target audience, and point of contact.
Cybersecurity Incident and Response Management Training
NJOHSP and the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) are offering the new PER371 – Cybersecurity Incident and Response Management course at the Emergency Operation Training Center in College Station, Texas. This three-day course, offered at no cost to participants, utilizes NIST 800-61r2 to introduce participants to the cyber incident lifecycle. Through the use of a cyber range, participants will acquire hands-on experience responding to simulated, real-world cyberattacks and gain a better understanding of the importance of information sharing during cyber incidents.
Target Audience: It is essential to have representation from cross-sector public and private entities who coordinate with emergency management to address local jurisdiction cybersecurity emergencies or disasters.
PER371 will be offered on the following dates:
- January 27-31, 2025
- February 17-21, 2025
- March 24-28, 2025
- May 12-16, 2025
- June 16-20, 2025
- August 11-15, 2025
Fall 2025 dates will be posted in the spring. For more information, please review the attached flyer. For registration information, please visit https://teex.org/class/per371/
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Contact Information
For more information or to share feedback, please contact the Communications Bureau at communications@njohsp.gov.
The NJ Security Spotlight is a biweekly newsletter of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and is intended to provide constituents with important agency updates, publications, and announcements. Please visit njohsp.gov/connect/nj-security-spotlight to read previous newsletters.
Report Suspicious Activity: Call 1-866-4-SAFE-NJ or email tips@njohsp.gov.
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