New NJOHSP ‘Foreign Terrorist Organizations’ Snapshot; Thousands of Vulnerable IOS XE Systems Presumed Compromised; New Nuclear Security Training Centre Opens in Austria

In response to the Israel-Gaza conflict, NJOHSP analysts have created a snapshot outlining three terrorist groups that pose a potential risk to New Jersey and that are active in Palestinian territories and Israel: HAMAS, Hizballah and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The snapshot includes a description of each organization and their origins, objectives, funding sources, current membership and nexus to New Jersey. Analysts determined that HAMAS poses a low threat to New Jersey as a result of its regional focus and its objective to create an Islamic Palestinian state. Nonetheless, the group has U.S.- and New Jersey-based supporters and sympathizers, who focus on fundraising. The terror threat from Hizballah to New Jersey is low since the group has mainly focused its efforts on regional conflicts in the Middle East and supporting the Assad regime in Syria. While U.S. authorities have arrested operatives and supporters in the region for material support and criminal activity, Hizballah has never conducted an attack on U.S. soil. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad also poses a low threat to New Jersey as a result of its regional focus and its objective to create an Islamist Palestinian state while working alongside other regional powerbrokers. More details are available in the full snapshot at NJOHSP.gov.

Cisco has identified active exploitation of a zero-day vulnerability in Cisco IOS XE software’s Web User Interface feature when exposed to the internet or untrusted networks. The vulnerability impacts physical and virtual devices with the HTTP or HTTPS server feature enabled. Successful attacks enable unauthorized users to create an account on the affected device with privilege level 15 access, allowing full control of the compromised device. Threat intelligence company VulnCheck assumes thousands of vulnerable web-facing IOS XE systems are compromised. The New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell strongly recommends affected entities immediately implement the steps outlined in Cisco’s PSIRT advisory after appropriate testing. Visit the NJCCIC’s website and Cisco Talos Intelligence blog post for additional details.

The International Atomic Energy Agency reportedly opened its new unique Nuclear Security Training and Demonstration Centre earlier this month to help strengthen countries’ abilities to address nuclear terrorism, including the illegal trafficking of nuclear material and the physical protection of facilities and major public events. The 21,500-square-foot facility, located at the IAEA’s Seibersdorf laboratories near Vienna, Austria, offers 23 different training courses and workshops, simulated environments, virtual reality tools and advanced software for nuclear security experts to hone their skills. “This Centre will help us in supporting countries to remain ahead of the curve in guarding against nuclear terrorism,” said IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi. “Nuclear security is one of the most important areas of our work to make sure that nuclear material never falls into the wrong hands.” The IAEA broke ground on the facility in July 2021. While the agency has offered training in nuclear security since the early 1970s, requests for such training have increased in recent years. Representatives from 45 countries and territories attended the Centre’s opening ceremonies.