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Ebola: updates and info sources

October 20, 2014

ebola ebola-palm-card

Ebola is a severe, often fatal disease that affects humans and some animals. Ebola spreads through direct contact with an infected person’s or animal’s skin, blood or body fluids. It cannot be spread simply by being near someone who is infected. People can be infected by touching objects that contain infected blood or body fluids, such as needles or bed sheets.

Everyone can help to fight “Fear-bola”. Click on the links below for definitive information.

Update| Statement on Patient at Bellevue Hospital, Oct. 27, 2014

Last night, EMS HAZ TAC Units transferred a patient to Bellevue Hospital. The patient, a minor, developed a fever this morning while under observation at the hospital. The patient was in one of the three Ebola epidemic countries in West Africa within the past 21 days.

The patient was transported by a specially trained HAZ TAC unit wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The patient was not febrile when first examined at Bellevue. The patient developed a fever while at the hospital at approximately 7 a.m.this morning. After consulting with the hospital and the CDC, the Health Department decided to conduct a test for the Ebola virus, because of this patient’s recent travel history and pattern of symptoms. The Health Department and HHC are also evaluating the patient for other causes of illness.

Preliminary test results are expected in the next 12 hours.

As a further precaution, the Health Department’s team of disease detectives has begun to actively trace all of the patient’s contacts to identify anyone who may be at potential risk. The Health Department staff has established protocols to identify, notify, and, if necessary, quarantine any contacts of Ebola cases.

The Health Department is also working closely with HHC leadership, Bellevue’s clinical team and the New York State Department of Health to ensure that all staff caring for the patient do so while following the utmost safety guidelines and protocols.

The chances of the average New Yorker contracting Ebola are extremely slim. Ebola is spread by directly touching the bodily fluids of an infected person. You cannot be infected simply by being near someone who has Ebola.

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Ongoing cyberthreats, website defacements

October 15, 2014
A screenshot of the defaced synagogue website.

Recent posts on the ADL Blog and Geektime describes the efforts of an anti-Israel hacktavist group that calls itself “Team System Dz”. While most of the website defacements occurred in July and August, incidents in Florida and New York were reported recently.

The Geektime post explains, “… the team is a group of Arab youth that is looking to teach protection and penetration of sites and services and strive for peace. Their hacks however don’t appear to be looking for peace. The group seems to align itself with Anonymous”. Their inclusion of an “i love you isis” message probably indicates their definition of how to look for peace. The Team’s Facebook page listing their accomplishments was taken down.

Often, visitors to your organization’s website get their first impression of your organization and your members rely on it for good information. To a great extent, your website can be the most important element of your reputation. Treat it accordingly. 

Best practices. It is likely that this group, and others, will continue to try to hack Jewish websites, so all Jewish organizations should work to ensure that they are following “best practices” in order to protect their websites and their reputations:

Website

  • An Institutional should always make the effort to have their Website hosted with a professional Web hosting company and avoid having the Website reside on an Institution or member’s home computer
  • Institutions should meet or conference with their Web hosting service and ask about such things as active back-up of Website, what security measures do the hosting company use to prevent Denial of Service (DoS) attacks and unauthorized Website access. Also ask if they have a disaster recovery procedure that includes someone available as a 24/7 point of contact for emergencies.
  • As with institutional email addresses, an effort should be made to limit and control the number of people Website administrator or Webmaster permissions and policy for password assignment and a schedule for changing passwords.

Computer Systems

  • It is in the best interest of any computer owner to be aware of who has access to their computer, the permissions granted to each account, who has system administrator authorization and who assigns passwords.
  • It is now considered a good practice to segregate general office and bookeeping/member information to the greatest degree possible.
  • If a computer system is connected to the Internet, an institution should consider using a primary carrier (Comcast, TimeWarner, Verizon etc) for Internet service.
  • Companies who re-sell other company’s services should be avoided where possible.
  • It is always prudent to have active and up-to-date firewall, anti-virus and threat detection software.
  • Although not all Websites or personal use of an Institutions computers pose a problem, a basic “no personal use” policy is reasonable.
  • As a general rule users should be discouraged from connecting personal devices, such as phones, iPods, tablet computers and flash drives to institutional computer systems.
  • Downloading of any material form the Internet should be closely supervised to avoid viruses and potential copyright infringement.

System Intrusion

  • Computer system intrusion can happen in a variety of ways: access in an unauthorized manner, by an unauthorized user, internally by a member of the institution or externally by the public.
  • Advanced software can alert a system administrator if an unauthorized access has been attempted. Older systems may require a regular manually review of computer logs to detect unwanted access.
  • Computer logs and advanced software, if properly configured, can indicate which computer files, if any, have been accessed. A policy should be established to inform members if files containing personal or sensitive information have been exposed. It is likely best to err on the side of caution in such situations.
  • Unauthorized computer access is potentially a criminal act. System intrusions rarely happen by accident and, as such, it is best to assume the person violating the system is seeking something. As with Website hacking, those perpetrating a system breach, likely know they are breaking the law and may have motivation to justify that risk.
  • As soon as a system intrusion is detected the system administrator must be contacted immediately. Subsequent contact to law enforcement and FBI (http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx) computer crime specialists would not be an unusual next step.

Mobile Devices (smartphones, tablets, gaming and media players)

  • Due to the recent emergence and proliferation of smart mobile communication devices and mobile computing, there is at this time very little anti-virus or anti­-malware protection for mobile computing devices. Mobile devices should only be granted access to institutional systems under the supervision of an experienced service provider, who clearly understands the security needs of a Jewish institution.

Event Response

Website Hacking

  • Website hacking can take a number of different forms and can happen for a variety of reasons. For this document we are defining a hacking as; Activity in the secure section of a Website that is not the result of action by an authorized individual. How the hacking occurs is secondary, here we are discussing what to do afterward.
  • We suggest contacting the hosting company for the Website as soon as the incident is discovered. The hosting company will need to preserve a copy of the hacked page(s) and copies of all relevant server logs. The hacked page(s) need to be removed as soon as possible in case malware is involved and also to limit the hacker’s usual main objective – to gloat.
  • Report the event to the police and FBI (http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx) promptly. Provide them with a copy of the material left by the hacker especially if it involves threats or hateful language.
  • Restore the Website from back-up copy of the Website, but only after the hosting company or ISP acknowledges the issues relating to the hack have been addressed.

Distributed Denial of Service Attack (aka DoS attack)

  • DoS attacks are the simplest and most common form of cyber-attack. A DoS attack is a coordinated effort by a group of computers to request access to a Website. This and creates a situation where no one can access the Website or that the contents are delivered very slowly. , In many cases a Website hosting company will shut down a Website temporarily rather than create a problem for their other customers. If a Website is the potential target of attacks, the Website hosting company should be made aware of the situation and can offer solutions.

Additional resources

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Ebola update from NYC DOHMH

October 02, 2014

about-ebolaAs has been reported, the United States Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (CDC) confirmed through laboratory tests the first case of the Ebola virus to be diagnosed in the United States in a person who had traveled to Dallas, Texas from West Africa.

There are no confirmed cases in New York City or the surrounding area at this time. However, New York City regularly monitors and responds to disease outbreaks. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) has full confidence in the city’s healthcare community and when addressing possible concerns, Dr. Mary Bassett, the DOHMH Commissioner said: “The City’s healthcare community knows exactly what to do if they come across a person who might be infected.”

Ebola is a severe, often fatal disease that affects humans and some animals. Ebola spreads through direct contact with an infected person’s or animal’s skin, blood or body fluids. It cannot be spread simply by being near someone who is infected. People can be infected by touching objects that contain infected blood or body fluids, such as needles or bed sheets.

The New York City Office of Emergency Management will continue to work closely with DOHMH and all other partners on this issue and will send out additional updates as needed.

For information about Ebola, please see the resources below.

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Tracking anti-Jewish incidents during Gaza

September 18, 2014
JCRC Exec. VP & CEO Michael Miller addresses the press conference sponsored by the Jewish Caucus of the NY City Council.
JCRC Exec. VP & CEO Michael Miller addresses the press conference sponsored by the Jewish Caucus of the NY City Council.

New York | September 18, 2014 – Over the first half of 2014, an average of eight incidents were reported to the NYPD and classified as possible hate crimes. In July and August the number more than doubled, averaging 18 incidents per month.  The increase is concurrent with the Israeli “Operation Protective Edge” in Gaza and the firing of over 4,382 rockets at Israel by Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza.

According to the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force, the number of anti-Semitic/Jewish incidents rose 39% during the first 8½ months of 2014. Most of the rise in reports occurred during July and August. So far in 2014 Jews were targets of 40% of the reported hate crimes in New York City, compared to 33% in 2013. Reported anti-Semitic/Muslim attacks also rose dramatically over the same period, which coincides with ISIS becoming a major news story during July and August. Anti-Muslim incidents made up 8% of the reported hate crimes in 2014.Deputy Chief Michael Osgood reported the figures at a NYPD High Holiday Briefing yesterday. He attributed the increase to intense media coverage leading to two factors: a person who normally would not offend becomes an offender; an people are more likely to report hate crimes during such periods.

The good news is that the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force analysis of the anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim incidents indicated that:

  • The crimes were random, without a discernable pattern;
    Source: NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force & Dep. Chief Michael Osgood. Click to enlarge this graph.
    Source: NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force & Dep. Chief Michael Osgood. Click to enlarge this graph.
  • The perpetrators did not engage in pre-planning;
  • The attacks were simplistic;
  • The perpetrators were not members of an organized hate group; and
  • The crimes could be categorized as impulsive street thuggery.

We of the JCRC-NY conclude that the spike in anti-Jewish hate crimes is bad news and good  news:

  • First, the bad news is that the reported anti-Semitic incidents increased dramatically while Gaza was in the news. This pattern was not a new phenomenon; the NYPD recorded similar spikes in anti-Jewish hate crimes during previous Israeli responses to Palestinian violence. We believe that one hate crime is one too many, condemn those who commit them and urge that they be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
  • Second, the good news. People are reporting hate crimes to the police. The NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force is without peer. Their sophisticated and serious response to hate crimes of all descriptions sends a clarion-clear message that hate crimes will not be tolerated in New York City. We strongly urge anyone who is a victim of a hate crime to immediately report it to the police.
  • Third, more good news. The number of reported anti-Jewish hate crimes is dropping over the past month. This seems to indicate that the pattern of past spikes holds.
  • Finally, modified good news. The NYPD analysis of the reported possible hate crimes occurring during the spike shows them to be mostly disorganized, low-level, impulsive street thuggery; with no indication that the offenders are members of any active, organized hate group. The New York City incidents stand in stark contrast to the disturbing and violent anti-Jewish attacks in Europe.

As the Jewish High Holidays approach, we strongly recommend that Jewish organizations review their security and access control measures. We are mindful that eight of 18 plots to attack the city in the past 22 years targeted Jewish institutions or Jewish people. Whether the concern is terrorism or hate crimes we can rest assured that the NYPD is there to protect New York’s Jewish community and all New Yorkers and are deeply grateful.

Click here for a PDF version of this post.

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Coming next week: UN General Assembly

September 16, 2014
UN General Assembly, closing session 2014

Are you thinking about going anywhere in Manhattan next week? Plan ahead. The UN General Assembly and associated meetings are scheduled from September 22nd until September 27th. Hundreds of heads of state, foreign ministers, diplomats and other officials move around the city and snarl traffic. Expect to see a heightened police presence at hotels and other venues around the city.

The NYPD and DOT do their best to minimize the intrusion on New Yorker’s lives, but please allow sufficient time for delays in Midtown East. Streets throughout the city will close as motorcades proceed from meeting to meeting…reception to reception.

The area around the  UN is significantly affected. View a map of the pre-determined street closings here.

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Thinking High Holiday Security & Preparedness

August 22, 2014

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas led to disturbing attacks on Jewish institutions and individuals abroad. While there are no specific threats to U.S. Jewish institutions or individuals — out of an abundance of caution — JCRC-NY recommends that Jewish institutions increase their levels of vigilance. This is especially true during the High Holidays, when people know that Jews congregate.

As a general rule, synagogues should:

  • Create a culture of security. Institutions shouldn’t merely subcontract security. Even buildings with well-trained security personnel should expect that staff and constituencies should be part of the security equation. Everyone should have heightened vigilance in times like these. For tips on security awareness, click here and the ADL’s Guide to Detecting Surveillance of Jewish Institutions and 18 Best Practices for Jewish Institutional Security.
  • Be in contact with your local police. Someone (or more than one) should have ongoing personal relationships with key police personnel. They should know you, your building and your organizational activities:
    • Discuss your security procedures with them and ask them for suggestions for improvement.
    • Inform them of the dates and times of your services, regular events and special events.
    • Police coverage on the High Holidays
      • Special attention is given to a synagogue based on an assessment of the current threat balanced by the availability of resources. In some jurisdictions it is a longstanding practice to assign police personnel to synagogues during services. In others, patrol cars are directed to visit synagogues at regular intervals. Discuss your situation with local police officials as soon as possible so that they have time to make their assessment and to secure the resources that they need to protect you. They will be in contact with federal, state and county officials, as well as the regional fusion center to make their assessment. They also factor in local incidents.
      • In some instances the traffic conditions surrounding services warrant police attention and officers will be assigned.
      • Some police departments allow private parties to hire uniformed officers for events. For more information click on our contact form here and someone will get back to you.

Read More Thinking High Holiday Security & Preparedness

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Webinar: Emergency Preparedness Resources for Houses of Worship

August 06, 2014

The Department of Homeland Security Center for Faith-based & Neighborhood Partnerships
the Small Business Administration Center for Faith-based & Community Initiatives
(Both Centers of the White House Office of Faith-based & Neighborhood Partnerships)
and the Federal Emergency Management Agency

invite you to join us for:

A Webinar on Emergency Preparedness Tools & Resources for Houses of Worship and Community Organizations

WEBINAR

________________

 

Learn more about tools, resources and partnerships strategies to help faith-based and community organizations prepare for emergencies!

 WEBINAR DESCRIPTION: The purpose of this webinar is to provide participants with information on emergency preparedness tools, resources and engagement strategies that are available to faith-based and community leaders and emergency managers. Presentations will explain how faith-based and community-based organizations can engage in National Preparedness Month 2014 and National PrepareAthon Day! activities. The presentations will also highlight engagement best practices at the state and local level between faith-based and community leaders and emergency managers to prepare faith and community-based organizations and the larger community.WHO SHOULD JOIN THE WEBINAR? This webinar is for anyone interested in learning more about resources to help faith-based and community-based organizations get prepared for emergencies and help their communities to do the same.

WHEN IS THE WEBINAR? 

August 19, 2014
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

HOW DO I JOIN THE WEBINAR?

Adobe Connect Web Link: https://icpd.adobeconnect.com/faithtoolsa/event/registration.html

Please sign in as a guest.  Be sure to test your Adobe Connect connection prior to the meeting by clicking here.

PRESENTERS. Representatives from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, County of Los Angeles Office of Emergency Management and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department’s Office of Emergency Management will present.  The Small Business Administration Center for Faith-based & Community Initiatives and Department of Homeland Security Center for Faith-based & Neighborhood Partnerships, will also provide remarks in support of houses of worship and community organizations engaging in preparedness activities.
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Gaza fighting continues, should you up your security game?

August 01, 2014

The ongoing military conflict between Israel and Hamas has lead to disturbing attacks on Jewish institutions abroad. While there are no specific threats to U.S. Jewish institutions or individuals, JCRC-NY recommends that Jewish institutions increase their levels of vigilance out of an abundance of caution.

  • Create a culture of security. Institutions shouldn’t merely subcontract security. Even buildings with well-trained security personnel shouldexpect that staff and constituencies should be part of the security equation. Everyone should have heightened vigilance in times like these. For tips on security awareness, click here and the ADL’s Guide to Detecting Surveillance of Jewish Institutions and 18 Best Practices for Jewish Institutional Security.
  • Be in contact with your local police.  Someone (or more than one) should have ongoing personal relationships with key police personnel. They should know you, your building and your organizational activities.
    • Discuss your security procedures with them and ask them for suggestions for improvement.
    • Inform them of the dates and times your regular events and of special events.
  • Revisit and review your security plans and procedures. 
    • Access control. Did you hear the one about a pro-Israel organization visited by a middle-aged, well-dressed woman saying that she wanted to make a contribution? They opened the door for her and a dozen protesters rushed in. Nine of the invaders were arrested. Are you vulnerable to such antics? Take the time to review your access control procedures. For more information and guidance see JCRC-NY’s Sample Building Access Policies & Procedures (PDF).
    • Bomb threats. Review your bomb threat procedures and make sure that your staff (especially those who answer the phones) know what is expected of them. For a range of resources from top agencies, including the FBI and the DHS guidance click here.
    • Suspicious packages. Is your staff aware that they should be on the lookout for suspicious packages? For USPS guidance click here.
    • Active shooters. See both quick pocket-card and in-depth resources from DHS, FBI and other agencies here.
  • Assess your cybersecurity. Over the past month the websites of several Jewish-affiliated organizations were hacked. Protect your organization. See Cybersecurity for Jewish organizations 101: an update and how to have inexpensive and effective backup and other plans at Resources to prepare your organization’s technology for a disaster.

Click here to contact JCRC-NY for further guidance and advice.

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Nonprofit Homeland Security Grants results

July 29, 2014

Schumer, Gillibrand Secure Over $2.1 Million To Improve Emergency Preparedness For Religious Institutions & Organizations In-And-Around NYC; Grants Awarded To 30 At-Risk Jewish Schools & Congregations

Schumer and Gillibrand Secured Funding For Organizations Based in New York – Out of the Total $13 Million Granted to Awardees Across the Country
U.S. Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that 30 New York Jewish organizations, including schools and congregations, and more have received a combined total of $2,188,517 for the 2014 fiscal year as Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) Awardees. The program, run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), awards federal funds to nonprofit organizations that are at a high risk of a national terrorist attack to encourage preparedness efforts.

“Religious schools and congregations have been previously targeted for attacks and that’s why FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program is critical in making sure that high-risk organizations are safe and protected from terrorist attacks,” said Schumer. “It is especially important for organizations in and around New York City to receive this federal funding, which will go a long way to ensure that they are fully prepared for whatever may happen in the future.”

“These federal dollars will arm our non-profits with the resources they need to guard us from attacks and keep us safe,” Gillibrand said. “No New Yorker, or American, should ever have to live and worship in fear of being targeted because of who they are or what they believe. Federal funding will help equip New York City’s places of worship, schools, and community gatherings with the tools needed to protect New York families.”

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) is run under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI). Only eligible nonprofit organizations, as described by the 501(c)(3) tax code of 1986, may apply for this grant. To be eligible, the nonprofit must be at high risk for an international terrorist attack and must be located in one of the designated urban areas throughout the country.

The 30 Jewish organizations that received funding from the New York City area are: the Hebrew Institute of University Heights DBA Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, Park East Synagogue, Chabad Lubavitch of the Upper East Side, Shaare Zion Congregation Inc, Bet Am Shalom Synagogue, Mesivta Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin, Khal Ichud Chasidim, Bnos Square of Williamsburg, Solomon Schechter School of Westchester, Young Israel of White Plains, Trustees of the Congregation Shearith Israel, Rabbinical Academy Mesivta Rabbi Chaim Berlin, The Center for Jewish Life, Yeshiva of Brooklyn , Jewish Community Center of Staten Island, Congregation Machna Shalva, Gan Yisroel, Riverdale Jewish Center, Sephardic Community Center, Yeshivat Darche Eres, Young Israel of Lawrence Cedarhurst, Temple Beth El, Yeshiva Ahavas Torah, Congregation B’nai Israel, Congregation Ohel Chabad Lubavitch, Reform Temple of Forest Hills, Be’er HaGolah Institutes, Westchester Day School, Ach Tov V’Chesed, and Phelps Memorial Hospital Center.

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Resources to prepare your organization’s technology for a disaster

July 23, 2014

Tech Soup is a respected and valuable technology resource for nonprofits (If you don’t know about their deeply-discounted software, you should). They recently published an excellent disaster planning guide:  The Resilient Organization. Find their links to the new guide and related webinars below.

Disaster preparedness isn’t just about being ready for a fire or earthquake; it’s a nimble, flexible approach to your organization’s day-to-day programs and operations. A natural disaster may never hit your office, but by adopting certain technologies and strategies, you can deepen your nonprofit’s impact and make your work faster and more efficient. The resources in this toolkit will not only prepare you for a crisis, but also deepen the impact of your nonprofit or charity in times of health.

The Resilient Organization is a holistic guide to disaster planning and recovery. This book is intended both for organizations striving to be better prepared for an emergency and for organizations striving to rebuild and maintain operations after a disaster. Download The Resilient Organization and browse other disaster planning and recovery resources below. The book comes in four formats:

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