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Tag: Jeh Johnson

  • U.S. Tweaks National Terrorism Advisory System, Issues First ‘Bulletin’

    The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued a terror “Bulletin.” The issuance coincides with an update to the National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS).

    A “Bulletin” describes “general developments or trends regarding threats of terrorism,” DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson said today.

    Two other advisory levels exist:

    An “Elevated Alert” warns “of a credible terrorism threat against the United States.”

    An “Imminent Alert,” meanwhile, warns “of a credible, specific and impending terrorism threat against the United States,” DHS says.

    The Bulletin issued today expires June 16, 2016, and reads as such (italics added):

    We are in a new phase in the global threat environment, which has implications on the homeland.  Particularly with the rise in use by terrorist groups of  the Internet to inspire and recruit, we are concerned about the “self-radicalized” actor(s) who could strike with little or no notice. Recent attacks and attempted attacks internationally and in the homeland warrant increased security, as well as increased public vigilance and awareness.

    • Though we know of no intelligence that is both specific and credible at this time of a plot by terrorist organizations to attack the homeland, the reality is terrorist-inspired individuals have conducted, or attempted to conduct, attacks in the United States this year.
    • DHS is especially concerned that terrorist-inspired individuals and homegrown violent extremists may be encouraged or inspired to target public events or places.
    • As we saw in the recent attacks in San Bernardino and Paris, terrorists will consider a diverse and wide selection of targets for attacks.
    • In the current environment, DHS is also concerned about threats and violence directed at particular communities and individuals across the country, based on perceived religion, ethnicity, or nationality.

    Here’s how Johnson began his remarks today (italics added):

    “In the period of weeks following the terrorist attacks in Paris on November 13 and the terrorist attack in San Bernardino on December 2, officials of Homeland Security, the FBI, the intelligence community, state and local law enforcement and homeland security officials have been in a heightened state of readiness to protect our homeland. People are anxious now. They should know, they need to know what their government is doing to protect our homeland.”

    Read his full statement.

  • URGENT >> BULLETIN >> MOVING: ‘North Korean Government’ Responsible For Sony Pictures Hack, FBI Says

    URGENT >> BULLETIN >> MOVING: The “North Korean government” is responsible for the catastrophic hack at Sony Pictures Entertainment last month, the FBI says.

    As pressure mounts for the United States to retaliate, President Obama is expected to take questions on the matter at 1:30 p.m. today.

    The FBI said it was “deeply concerned about the destructive nature of this attack on a private sector entity and the ordinary citizens who worked there. Further, North Korea’s attack on SPE reaffirms that cyber threats pose one of the gravest national security dangers to the United States.

    “Though the FBI has seen a wide variety and increasing number of cyber intrusions, the destructive nature of this attack, coupled with its coercive nature, sets it apart. North Korea’s actions were intended to inflict significant harm on a U.S. business and suppress the right of American citizens to express themselves. Such acts of intimidation fall outside the bounds of acceptable state behavior. The FBI takes seriously any attempt—whether through cyber-enabled means, threats of violence, or otherwise—to undermine the economic and social prosperity of our citizens.”

    Threats of 9/11-style terrorist attacks against movie patrons and theaters that screened a comedic film that mocks North Korea leader Kim Jong Un and depicts him as an assassination target first caused theaters to bail on “The Interview,” a Sony film scheduled to open Christmas Day. Sony itself later withdrew the film, triggering an avalanche of criticism that it had caved into the demands of terrorists.

    As the situation evolved, it became clear that the United States viewed the attack on Sony as an attack against the country itself.

    The actual hacking of Sony appears to have occurred in November, with “Guardians of Peace” taking credit. Troves of private emails and records were stolen, Sony and its employees were threatened and Sony’s computers effectively were rendered inoperable. Sony has been in PR damage-control mode for weeks, even as the firm’s intellectual property such as films not yet released fell into the hands of the hackers.

    Sony quickly reported the incident to the FBI, and the swiftness aided in the probe, the agency said.

    Here’s more from the FBI’s statement (italics added):

    As a result of our investigation, and in close collaboration with other U.S. government departments and agencies, the FBI now has enough information to conclude that the North Korean government is responsible for these actions. While the need to protect sensitive sources and methods precludes us from sharing all of this information, our conclusion is based, in part, on the following:

    • Technical analysis of the data deletion malware used in this attack revealed links to other malware that the FBI knows North Korean actors previously developed. For example, there were similarities in specific lines of code, encryption algorithms, data deletion methods, and compromised networks.
    • The FBI also observed significant overlap between the infrastructure used in this attack and other malicious cyber activity the U.S. government has previously linked directly to North Korea. For example, the FBI discovered that several Internet protocol (IP) addresses associated with known North Korean infrastructure communicated with IP addresses that were hardcoded into the data deletion malware used in this attack.
    • Separately, the tools used in the SPE attack have similarities to a cyber attack in March of last year against South Korean banks and media outlets, which was carried out by North Korea.

  • DHS Ramps Up Security At Federal Buildings In Wake Of Attacks In Canada And New York

    In the aftermath of last week’s attacks on Canadian soldiers, the Canadian Parliament and New York City police officers, Secretary Jeh Johnson of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued this statement today (italics added):

    DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson.
    DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson.

    Today I am announcing that I have directed the Federal Protective Service to enhance its presence and security at various U.S. Government buildings in Washington DC and other major cities and locations around the country. The precise actions we are taking and the precise locations at which we will enhance security is law-enforcement sensitive, will vary and shift from location to location, and will be continually re-evaluated.

    The Federal Protective Service is responsible for the protection of over 9500 federal facilities owned or leased by the General Services Administration, through which 1.4 million visitors and occupants pass daily.

    We are taking this action as a precautionary step, to safeguard U.S. government personnel and facilities, and the visitors to those facilities. The reasons for this action are self-evident: the continued public calls by terrorist organizations for attacks on the homeland and elsewhere, including against law enforcement and other government officials, and the acts of violence targeted at government personnel and installations in Canada and elsewhere recently. Given world events, prudence dictates a heightened vigilance in the protection of U.S. government installations and our personnel.

    As we have stated in prior advisories, we urge state and local governments and their law enforcement personnel, along with critical infrastructure owners and operators, to be equally vigilant, particularly in guarding against potential small-scale attacks by a lone offender or a small group of individuals. Likewise, we continually urge the public at large to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities to appropriate authorities.

    Source: DHS.