Weekly Security Sprint EP 48. Physical Security Galore!

Please enjoy our newest podcast, the Weekly Security Sprint, on Spotify, Apple, Google, as well as other locations accessible via the Spotify for Podcasters link or almost anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts.

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In this Week’s Security Sprint, Dave and Andy talked about the topics below. For more of these and other security updates, subscribe to our free daily report, delivered directly to your inbox, the Gate 15 SUN. To subscribe, please email Gate15@Gate15.global.

ICYMI, new!  Venue Security, The IAVM Podcast Series: Mark Herrera on leadership, resilience and partnership. In this inaugural episode of Venue Security, The IAVM Podcast Series, Andy Jabbour talks with Mark Herrera, Director of Education for the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM).

Main Topics.

Physical Security Incidents and Challenges

• Motive sought for mass shooting at Prague university that left more than a dozen dead
• 1 killed, 5 injured by Iowa school shooter on the first day after winter break
• FBI calls bomb threats that led to brief lockdowns and evacuations of some state capitols a hoax
• Bomb Hoaxes and ‘Swatting’ Attempts Target Public Officials as 2024 Begins
• CA synagogues on high alert after receiving threatening emails
• Suspects held over alleged Argentina parcel plot
• Blasts kill nearly 100 at slain commander Soleimani’s memorial; Iran vows revenge
• Islamic State claims responsibility for deadly Iran attack, Tehran vows revenge
• CAIR: Join the Jan. 13th ‘March on Washington for Gaza’ in Washington, D.C.
• Groups plan massive march for Gaza cease-fire in DC next week. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and other organizers will begin the Gaza solidarity event at the National Mall on Jan. 13 at 1 p.m., gathering near the Washington Monument.

CISA: Personal Security Considerations Action Guide. The Personal Security Considerations Action Guide: Critical Infrastructure Workers helps critical infrastructure workers assess their security posture and provide options to consider whether they are on or off the job. This action guide provides actionable recommendations and resources intended to prevent and mitigate threats to a critical infrastructure worker’s personal safety. For questions regarding this action guide, please email central@cisa.gov. PDF: Personal Security Considerations Action Guide: Critical Infrastructure Workers

Election Season Challenges

• FBI Washington Field Office Marks Third Anniversary of January 6 Violence at the U.S. Capitol
• A quarter of Americans believe FBI instigated Jan. 6, Post-UMD poll finds
• Pence dismisses conspiracy theory FBI instigated Jan. 6 attack

Quick Hits: Enduring Threats!

• Multiple Hazard Storm Impacting the Central and Southern U.S. Read More.
  • Exceptional winter storm to bring travel woes as it wallops central and eastern US
  • President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Rhode Island Disaster Declaration
  • NOAA: Get your snow smarts on: 9 forecast tools you can use; Find out if rain, snow, sleet and hail are coming your way

• TribalHub: Ransomware Resilience Best Practices. This event is open to anyone who would like to attend and is free of charge. In the face of notable ransomware incidents in the gaming sector, and following from a ransomware resilience best practices workshop conducted at TribalNet 2023, Gate 15 will present an abbreviated version of the TribalNet workshop as a webinar addressing White House-recommended and other established best practices, including how information sharing among tribes on cyber related incidents is critical to preparing for and responding to ransomware and other cyber related incidents, to ensure ransomware readiness and resilience. Jan 11, 2024, 1:00 PM ET.
  • British Library ransomware cyber attack ‘set to cost £7million’
  • The State of Ransomware in the U.S.: Report and Statistics 2023
  • Xerox says subsidiary XBS U.S. breached after ransomware gang leaks data
  • After injecting cancer hospital with ransomware, crims threaten to swat patients
  • LockBit leveraging vulnerable drivers to disable security solutions in latest campaigns
  • Motor Mouth: Ransomware is coming for the auto industry
  • PS99, hopes for free diamonds leads to ransomware
  • Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe Data Breach Affected 637,000 Individuals
  • The Week in Ransomware – January 5th 2024 – Secret decryptors
  • Law firm that handles data breaches was hit by data breach
  • San Bernardino housing authority cyberattack affected nearly 19,000 people
  • At Least 141 Were Hospitals Directly Affected by Ransomware Attacks in 2023
  • Electronic Ransomware
  • Zeppelin ransomware source code sold for $500 on hacking forum
  • Uncovering Rhysida and their activities
  • Ransomware Roundup – 8base
  • Albabat Ransomware

• Another covid wave hits U.S. as JN.1 becomes dominant variant. According to CDC estimates, just 19 percent of Americans have received the latest version of the vaccine that lab experiments show offer better protection against the JN.1 variant than the previous formula.
  • COVID Mask Mandates Return to Hospitals in Five States
• FBI PSA: Chinese Police Imposters Incorporate Aggressive Tactics to Target U.S.-Based Chinese Community. The FBI is warning the public about criminal actors impersonating Chinese police officers to defraud the US-based Chinese community, in particular Chinese students attending universities in the United States. The criminal actors tell victims they are being investigated for an alleged financial crime in China and need to pay to avoid arrest. The criminal actors then direct victims to consent to 24/7 video and audio monitoring. The scheme consists of four phases.
• Ukraine says Russia hacked web cameras to spy on targets in Kyiv

Read more about Gate 15’s full podcast menu at our Podcast page. You can subscribe and enjoy all the Gate 15 Podcasts on Spotify for Podcasters, Apple, Spotify, Google, as well as other locations accessible from the Spotify for Podcasters link. Week-to-week, you can hear and learn more about our all-hazards threats, risks, mitigation and other issues impacting homeland security risk management from our team as well as our regular and special guests. The full podcast menu includes:

• The Security Sprint is our weekly rundown of the week’s notable all-hazards security news, risks and threats and some of the key focus areas for organizations to consider behind the headlines. Gate 15 team members discuss physical security, cybersecurity, natural hazards, health threats and other issues across our environment.
• Nerd Out! Security Panel Discussion, moderated by Dave Pounder, focuses on physical security topics including terrorism, extremism, hostile events, and other pertinent topics.
• The Gate 15 Interview, is a monthly interview between Gate 15’s founder and Managing Director, Andy Jabbour and guests from throughout the homeland security risk management community addressing a wide range of all-hazards topics and issues.
• Venue Security, The IAVM Podcast Series is our newest podcast as Gate 15’s founder and Managing Director, Andy Jabbour hosts short interviews with venue safety and security experts from the International Association of Venue Managers’ (IAVM) Venue Safety and Security Committee (VSSC) and other special guests from the IAVM community.
• The Cybersecurity Evangelist, with Jennifer Lyn Walker, is a cybersecurity-focused discussion with Jen and invited guests. This is presently a Gate 15 special podcast and occasionally is updated on our Gate 15 podcast channel.
• The Risk Roundtable, was a monthly discussion among our team and occasional guests exploring the all-hazards threats and risks impacting the United States and internationally. This was suspended in September 2023.

We hope you’ll subscribe, listen and share your ideas and other feedback! Reach out to us on Threads,  LinkedIn, via email at: podcast@gate15.global, and also on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.