Intelligence. Unclassified.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), American consumers are expected to spend an average of $967 during the 2017 holiday shopping season. This is an approximate 3.5 percent increase from last year’s projections, and a majority of these purchases are expected to take place online. The NRF Consumer Survey found that online shopping is the preferred method of purchase this year for the first time in the survey’s history. Last year, Adobe reported that approximately $5.27 billion was spent in online sales between Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday, with $1.2 billion spent in purchases made through the use of mobile devices. As the popularity of online shopping continues to increase, so does the number of potential unsuspecting victims for cyber criminals to exploit. This week, one of our cyber threat analysts at the New Jersey Cybersecurity Communications and Integration Cell (NJCCIC) discusses proactive steps to reduce your risk and make it harder for cyber criminals to succeed this holiday season.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), American consumers are expected to spend an average of $967 during the 2017 holiday shopping season. This is an approximate 3.5 percent increase from last year’s projections, and a majority of these purchases are expected to take place online. The NRF Consumer Survey found that online shopping is the preferred method of purchase this year for the first time in the survey’s history. Last year, Adobe reported that approximately $5.27 billion was spent in online sales between Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday, with $1.2 billion spent in purchases made through the use of mobile devices. As the popularity of online shopping continues to increase, so does the number of potential unsuspecting victims for cyber criminals to exploit. This week, one of our cyber threat analysts at the New Jersey Cybersecurity Communications and Integration Cell (NJCCIC) discusses proactive steps to reduce your risk and make it harder for cyber criminals to succeed this holiday season.

In recent years, the world has been repeatedly shocked by the gruesome images and actions of ISIS, in particular the footage and stories of children as young as eight executing people. Children play an important role in the organization: the children of the caliphate are seen as "the future of ISIS," and therefore education and propaganda are an important form of indoctrination. ISIS uses minors for suicide attacks, executions and fighting. Research has shown that IS propaganda between in 2015 and 2016 included 89 eulogies of children and youths—a number that steadily increased each monthly, showing that ISIS has gradually opted for this tactic. The role of minors and their future causes international concern for a broad range of reasons. Growing up and potentially fighting in armed conflict will traumatize a large number of these children. Also, what will happen with these children if the Caliphate collapses? Human Rights Watch expressed concerns about the birth registrations that will most likely not be recognized by the international community – potentially leaving children stateless. This week on Intelligence. Unclassified., Analysis Bureau Chief Dean Baratta had an enlightening call with researcher Liesbeth van der Heide from the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT), where they talk about her recent paper, Children of the Caliphate. They will explore the findings she and her co-author provide on young or juvenile ISIS returnees, assessing what sets juvenile returnees apart from adult returnees or the broader population of young criminals, and scoping the potential venues and challenges in their rehabilitation and reintegration.

In recent years, the world has been repeatedly shocked by the gruesome images and actions of ISIS, in particular the footage and stories of children as young as eight executing people. Children play an important role in the organization: the children of the caliphate are seen as "the future of ISIS," and therefore education and propaganda are an important form of indoctrination. ISIS uses minors for suicide attacks, executions and fighting. Research has shown that IS propaganda between in 2015 and 2016 included 89 eulogies of children and youths—a number that steadily increased each monthly, showing that ISIS has gradually opted for this tactic. The role of minors and their future causes international concern for a broad range of reasons. Growing up and potentially fighting in armed conflict will traumatize a large number of these children. Also, what will happen with these children if the Caliphate collapses? Human Rights Watch expressed concerns about the birth registrations that will most likely not be recognized by the international community – potentially leaving children stateless. This week on Intelligence. Unclassified., Analysis Bureau Chief Dean Baratta had an enlightening call with researcher Liesbeth van der Heide from the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT), where they talk about her recent paper, Children of the Caliphate. They will explore the findings she and her co-author provide on young or juvenile ISIS returnees, assessing what sets juvenile returnees apart from adult returnees or the broader population of young criminals, and scoping the potential venues and challenges in their rehabilitation and reintegration.

The VOX-Pol program’s second week-long Training Academy in the Netherlands is designed to provide policymakers, law enforcement, social media companies, and others professionally-tasked with responding to violent online extremism and terrorism with an introduction to the role of the Internet in contemporary violent political extremism(s), including the online strategies of violent jihadis and the extreme right; the role of the Internet in lone actor terrorism; the online behaviors of convicted terrorists; and online CVE (Countering Violent Extremism). The Training Academy is composed of a mix of formal lectures and hands-on labs. The latter are dedicated to providing participants with an overview of tools and methods for research and analysis in this domain. This past summer, Analysis Bureau Chief Dean Baratta and Intelligence Analyst Paige Schilling attended the academy as presenters and participants. Tune in to hear their insights on this unique and valuable experience.

The VOX-Pol program’s second week-long Training Academy in the Netherlands is designed to provide policymakers, law enforcement, social media companies, and others professionally-tasked with responding to violent online extremism and terrorism with an introduction to the role of the Internet in contemporary violent political extremism(s), including the online strategies of violent jihadis and the extreme right; the role of the Internet in lone actor terrorism; the online behaviors of convicted terrorists; and online CVE (Countering Violent Extremism). The Training Academy is composed of a mix of formal lectures and hands-on labs. The latter are dedicated to providing participants with an overview of tools and methods for research and analysis in this domain. This past summer, Analysis Bureau Chief Dean Baratta and Intelligence Analyst Paige Schilling attended the academy as presenters and participants. Tune in to hear their insights on this unique and valuable experience.

Recent attacks, including those at the Boston Marathon, Seaside Park Semper 5K, concert in Manchester, England, and, most recently, the Las Vegas concert, demonstrate that large-scale events remain attractive targets for terrorists and active shooters. On this episode of Intelligence. Unclassified., Point Pleasant Beach Police Chief Joseph Michigan and Agent Ron Jennings of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office joined us to discuss special events and mass gatherings. No strangers to handling multiple large events simultaneously, they shared their insights and best practices on how to better secure and plan for such gatherings.

Recent attacks, including those at the Boston Marathon, Seaside Park Semper 5K, concert in Manchester, England, and, most recently, the Las Vegas concert, demonstrate that large-scale events remain attractive targets for terrorists and active shooters. On this episode of Intelligence. Unclassified., Point Pleasant Beach Police Chief Joseph Michigan and Agent Ron Jennings of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office joined us to discuss special events and mass gatherings. No strangers to handling multiple large events simultaneously, they shared their insights and best practices on how to better secure and plan for such gatherings.

White supremacist extremists often use imagery that can be broken down into four categories—traditional, religious, Nazi-related, and Internet-based—to convey their ideology, show support for a specific group, or intimidate minority populations. These symbols should not automatically be assumed to be hate-related, but should be evaluated in the context in which they are used. Recently, our office partnered with the Anti-Defamation League to produce a comprehensive resource on the current imagery we are seeing in the white supremacist movement. Tune in as our analysts explore these symbols and their meanings.

White supremacist extremists often use imagery that can be broken down into four categories—traditional, religious, Nazi-related, and Internet-based—to convey their ideology, show support for a specific group, or intimidate minority populations. These symbols should not automatically be assumed to be hate-related, but should be evaluated in the context in which they are used. Recently, our office partnered with the Anti-Defamation League to produce a comprehensive resource on the current imagery we are seeing in the white supremacist movement. Tune in as our analysts explore these symbols and their meanings.

In the wake of a tragedy, classification of an act of mass violence appears daunting. The key point, whether it is terrorism or not, depends on the intent of the person conducting the violence, not the method, timing or victims. Join NJOHSP Director of Intelligence Rosemary Martorana and Analysis Bureau Chief Dean Baratta as they discuss the inherent issues in first-to-report designations of terrorism, as well as a three criterion test that can help sniff out the difference between a mass violence incident and an act of terrorism.

In the wake of a tragedy, classification of an act of mass violence appears daunting. The key point, whether it is terrorism or not, depends on the intent of the person conducting the violence, not the method, timing or victims. Join NJOHSP Director of Intelligence Rosemary Martorana and Analysis Bureau Chief Dean Baratta as they discuss the inherent issues in first-to-report designations of terrorism, as well as a three criterion test that can help sniff out the difference between a mass violence incident and an act of terrorism.

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. The Internet touches almost all aspects of everyone’s daily life, whether we realize it or not. National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) is designed to engage and educate public and private sector partners through events and initiatives to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity, provide them with tools and resources needed to stay safe online, and increase the resiliency of the Nation in the event of a cyber incident. In the second week of NCSAM, we focus on cybersecurity in the workplace. Creating a culture of cybersecurity is critical for all organizations and must be a shared responsibility among all employees. Join one of our cyber intelligence analysts as she discusses how organizations can protect against the most common cyber threats and the resources available to help strengthen cyber resilience.

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. The Internet touches almost all aspects of everyone’s daily life, whether we realize it or not. National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) is designed to engage and educate public and private sector partners through events and initiatives to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity, provide them with tools and resources needed to stay safe online, and increase the resiliency of the Nation in the event of a cyber incident. In the second week of NCSAM, we focus on cybersecurity in the workplace. Creating a culture of cybersecurity is critical for all organizations and must be a shared responsibility among all employees. Join one of our cyber intelligence analysts as she discusses how organizations can protect against the most common cyber threats and the resources available to help strengthen cyber resilience.

In the past six months, Vanguard America—a white supremacist group—has expanded beyond Internet-based activity to attending violent protests nationwide, distributing propaganda, and intimidating minority populations. The leader of the group claims there are approximately 200 members in 20 states, including New Jersey. Join Intelligence Analyst Paige Schilling and Analysis Bureau Chief Dean Baratta as they explore what this movement is all about and how their actions have impacted New Jersey.