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Biweekly Homeland Security Insights for a Safer New Jersey |
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Egyptian National Attacks Event for Israeli Hostages
On Sunday, June 1, Mohamed Soliman threw an incendiary device into a gathering at the Pearl Street pedestrian mall in Boulder, Colorado, injuring 12 individuals. The gathering was a weekly event organized by a group called "Run for Their Lives," which sought to bring awareness to Israeli hostages in Gaza. Currently, there are no specific, credible threats to New Jersey or its Jewish community.
According to open-source reporting, the suspect used a "makeshift flamethrower," as well as Molotov cocktails, against those attending the gathering. Soliman, a 45-year-old Egyptian National, allegedly yelled, "Free Palestine," during the attack and the FBI is currently investigating the incident as an act of targeted violence.
Read the full joint intelligence note.
NJOHSP 2024 Map Tracks Attacks and Arrests in Domestic Terrorism
 NJOHSP has compiled its annual Domestic Terrorism (DT) Map, which details information and charting for domestic extremist arrests in 2024.
Among those arrested was Andrew Takhistov, of East Brunswick, New Jersey, who plotted to attack electrical substations in New Jersey to advance his white racially motivated extremist (WRME) ideologies.
Last year, 35 U.S.-based individuals were associated with anti-government, single-issue, and WRME groups and ideologies.
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NJCCIC: China's Cyber Strategy Targets US Infrastructure
China is engaging in sustained cyber operations against U.S. critical infrastructure. The New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell's (NJCCIC) latest threat analysis report analyzes Chinese state-sponsored cyber campaigns targeting key sectors with the intent to disrupt vital services during a geopolitical conflict.
Advanced persistent threat groups like Volt Typhoon, Salt Typhoon, and APT 41 are actively establishing persistent access within the communications, energy, water and wastewater, and transportation sectors.
The NJCCIC has assessed that the frequency and severity of these attacks will continue to increase in response to escalating tensions between China and the U.S.
The report includes:
- China's strategic motivations
- Risk assessments by sector
- Common tactics and techniques used
- Real-world examples of cyber intrusions
- Sector-specific defense guidance for infrastructure operators and policymakers
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Garden State Cyber Summit Highlights Student Excellence and Industry Collaboration
 Garden State Cyber and the NJCCIC, in partnership with The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), Cyber.org, and Cyberbit, hosted the first Garden State Cybersecurity Summit and Capture the Flag (CTF) Finals at TCNJ on May 28.
NJOHSP Director Laurie Doran and NJCCIC Director Michael Geraghty (pictured above) attended the event to deliver remarks and help energize the day's activities. Their presence underscored the importance of cultivating the next generation of cybersecurity talent and helped generate enthusiasm among participants.
The event brought together educators, cybersecurity professionals, and students for a full day of learning, collaboration, and competition. Nearly 1,300 students, organized into approximately 370 teams from 61 schools, participated in a qualifying Capture the Flag (CTF) competition. The top 10 teams advanced to the finals, where they showcased their cybersecurity skills by defending against and responding to a simulated cyberattack.
While the students competed, educators and professionals attended various breakout sessions and lectures highlighting the power of hands-on learning, internships, and emerging trends in cybersecurity. The event concluded with an award ceremony where the top three student teams were honored and recognized for their outstanding performance in the finals.
The winning teams:
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First Place: The Hive from Morris County School of Technology
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Second Place: SBHS-CTF-1 from South Brunswick High School
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Third Place: 219 Cyber-Division from Warren Hills Regional High School
Congratulations to all the competition participants for their accomplishments!
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Upcoming Training Programs
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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.
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Investigator 3, Law and Public Safety
NJOHSP has an opening for a full-time Investigator 3, Law and Public Safety position assigned to its Operations Bureau within the Intelligence and Operations Division. The selected candidate will be assigned to the Counterintelligence Unit and, among other duties, will conduct investigative work supporting criminal investigations related to national security threats and critical infrastructure; review and analyze documents in support of investigative work and prepare findings in a clear and concise manner; research and investigate foreign influence activities, economic interference, disinformation campaigns, insider threats, and domestic and non-state actor threats; and prepare and provide defensive briefings on the national security threat landscape to State, county, and local partners. To apply, view NJOHSP's careers web page.
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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 Threat-Related Suspicious Activity
Call 1-866-4-SAFE-NJ or email tips@njohsp.gov.
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