DHS issues NTAS Bulletin following continued calls for violence directed at US critical infrastructure

DHS issues NTAS Bulletin following continued calls for violence directed at US critical infrastructure

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued on Monday a National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin concerning the continued heightened threat environment across the nation. One of the conditions of the NTAS Bulletin that contributed to the increased volatility, unpredictability, and complexity of the threat environment is the ‘continued calls for violence directed at U.S. critical infrastructure.’

Domestic violent extremists have also viewed attacks against U.S. critical infrastructure as a means to create chaos and advance ideological goals, and have recently aspired to disrupt U.S. electric and communications critical infrastructure, including by spreading false or misleading narratives about 5G cellular technology, according to a summary released along with the NTAS Bulletin. 

“The primary terrorism-related threat to the United States continues to stem from lone offenders or small cells of individuals who are motivated by a range of foreign and/or domestic grievances often cultivated through the consumption of certain online content,” it added. 

The DHS’ concerns come as cyberattacks have affected port facilities and oil transport and storage companies across Europe. Last week, European authorities said that large-scale cyberattacks targeted port facilities in Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. IT systems have been disrupted at SEA-Invest in Belgium and Evos in the Netherlands, while unconfirmed reports suggest that BlackCat ransomware may have compromised systems at Oiltanking GmbH Group and Mabanaft Group in Germany.

“DHS remains committed to proactively sharing timely information and intelligence about the evolving threat environment with the American public,” Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, said in a media statement. “We also remain committed to working with our partners across every level of government and in the private sector to prevent all forms of terrorism and targeted violence, and to support law enforcement efforts to keep our communities safe.” 

“This NTAS Bulletin outlines the key factors that have increased the volatility, unpredictability, and complexity of the current threat environment, and highlights resources for individuals and communities to stay safe,” Mayorkas added.

The NTAS Bulletin is set to expire on Jun. 7 and is the fifth such Bulletin issued by the DHS since January last year. 

The U.S. remains in a heightened threat environment fueled by several factors, including an online environment filled with false or misleading narratives and conspiracy theories, and other forms of mis- dis- and mal-information (MDM) introduced and/or amplified by foreign and domestic threat actors. 

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has an MDM team charged with building national resilience to such information and foreign influence activities. “Through these efforts, CISA helps the American people understand the scope and scale of MDM activities targeting elections and critical infrastructure, and enables them to take actions to mitigate associated risks,” it added. 

The NTAS Bulletin said that the DHS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will continue to share timely and actionable information and intelligence with the broadest audience possible, including sharing information and intelligence with partners across every level of government and in the private sector.

Since January 2021, DHS has, among other measures, increased efforts to identify and evaluate MDM, including false or misleading narratives and conspiracy theories spread on social media and other online platforms, that endorse violence. It has also worked on enhancing collaboration with public and private sector partners, including U.S. critical infrastructure owners and operators, to better protect the nation’s cyber and physical infrastructure and increase cybersecurity through the department’s CISA.

The U.S. critical infrastructure sectors have already faced various cybersecurity and ransomware attacks, which given the nature of increased connectivity and criticality of such systems can create greater challenges for their adaptability, resilience, safety, and security. 

Last October, the CISA, the FBI, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Security Agency (NSA) issued a joint cybersecurity advisory that provided details of ongoing cyber threats to the U.S. Water and Wastewater Systems (WWS) sector. The activity identified included cyber intrusions leading to ransomware attacks, which threatens the ability of WWS facilities to provide clean and potable water, and effectively manage the wastewater of their communities. 

Prior to that, in September, the FBI reported the likelihood of ransomware attacks targeting the food and agriculture sector, which could potentially lead to disruption of operations, cause financial loss, and negatively impact the food supply chain. In a ransomware attack, victims’ files are encrypted and made unavailable, and the attacker demands a payment for the decryption tool and key.

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