Kremlin Says Russia Has Right to Defend Itself From ‘Piracy’ After Report of Warship Escort Near UK
The Kremlin asserted Russia’s right to defend itself against what it called piracy after a British newspaper reported a Russian navy frigate escorting two oil tankers, the Russian‑flagged Universal and the Cameroon‑flagged Enigma, through the English Channel. Reuters‑tracked data confirmed the vessels passed UK waters on Wednesday and Thursday. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has authorized the military to board and detain Russian ships in British waters to disrupt a sanctions‑busting network, though no arrests have been made yet. The episode heightens maritime tension amid ongoing Western sanctions on Russian oil exports.
Navy’s Free Barracks Wi-Fi Program Reaches Installations in Italy and Greece
The Navy’s free, high‑speed Wi‑Fi initiative for unaccompanied housing is now 86% complete, with service active in 827 of 952 buildings. Expansion reached three overseas sites—Naval Support Activity Naples, Naval Air Station Sigonella and NSA Souda Bay—on April 1. Adoption is...
Coast Guard, NOAA Mission Restores Tsunami Warning Capability on Remote Pacific Atoll
The USCGC Oliver Henry completed a 29‑day Operation Rematau patrol that restored a tsunami early‑warning sensor on Kapingamarangi Atoll, the first upgrade in 12 years. The cutter also delivered 3,000 lb of humanitarian supplies to isolated island communities and conducted multiple...
ISIS Calls on Muslims to ‘Set Fire to Churches and Synagogues’ Around the World at Easter
ISIS’s al‑Naba newspaper has urged Muslims worldwide to set fire to churches and synagogues during Easter weekend, extending the call to the Jewish holiday of Passover. The propaganda links the attacks to the recent closure of Jerusalem’s al‑Aqsa Mosque and...
Hormuz At Near Standstill as Iran Warns Ships to Keep to Its Waters
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned all vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to stay within Iranian territorial waters, prompting a dramatic slowdown in traffic to under 10% of normal levels. The directive comes amid a two‑week U.S.–Iran ceasefire, leaving...
IAEM Webinar 4/23: Practical AI for Emergency Managers
The IAEM‑USA Emerging Technology Caucus is hosting a lunch‑and‑learn webinar titled “Practical AI for Emergency Managers” on April 23, 2026. The session will feature emergency managers who will showcase real‑world AI applications that improve planning, response, and recovery operations. Attendees...
Amid Rising Cyber and Physical Threats, Center for Cross-Sector Coordination Launches
The Center for Cross‑Sector Coordination (CXC) launched as an industry‑driven, not‑for‑profit hub that links owners and operators across all 16 U.S. critical infrastructure sectors. Its mission is to improve coordination, share security tools, training, and threat intelligence, and act as...
Former DOJ Privacy, Cybersecurity, and AI Counsel Michelle Ramsden Joins Jones Walker
Michelle Ramsden, former senior counsel for privacy, cybersecurity and AI at the U.S. Department of Justice, has joined Jones Walker LLP as special counsel in its Corporate Practice Group in Atlanta. She will bolster the firm’s privacy, data strategy and...
MEMRI Cyber & Jihad Lab Continues to Monitor Uptick in ISIS-K Use of Cryptocurrency
The MEMRI Cyber & Jihad Lab reports a sharp rise in ISIS‑K’s use of cryptocurrency for fundraising, highlighted by recent propaganda urging donors to switch Monero wallets. On April 2, the U.S. Department of Justice sentenced Colorado resident Humzah Mashkoor...
ASRC Federal Selected for FAA Second Level Engineering Services Contract
ASRC Federal Advanced Research secured a $437 million award to continue providing Second Level Engineering Services for the Federal Aviation Administration. The indefinite‑delivery, indefinite‑quantity contract, potentially spanning five years, covers 24/7/365 support of navigation, power, communications, surveillance, automation, weather systems and...
Frontline Watch: Terrorist Cartels, Cocaine Networks, and Rising Hybrid Threats
Frontline Watch’s latest edition warns that Mexican cartels, now formally designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, are employing insurgent‑style tactics—drones, IEDs, and heavy‑caliber weapons—to project power across borders. The report also notes the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a symbolic...
The Criticality of Public-Private Partnerships for National Security
The Department of Homeland Security scrapped the Critical Infrastructure Partnership Advisory Council in March 2025, removing the primary forum for structured public‑private dialogue on critical infrastructure. Simultaneously, CISA faces staffing cuts and shifting priorities, further straining coordination across the 16...
Vance Fowler Named Chief of Enterprise IT Services Division at Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers
Vance Fowler has been appointed chief of the Enterprise IT Services Division at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC). He returns after a nine‑year stint at FLETC and brings more than 30 years of federal IT leadership, most recently...
Europe Faces Evolving Terrorism Threat as Attacks and Arrests Rise, Analysis Finds
Europe’s terrorism threat is resurging, with Europol logging 206 attacks and over 1,200 related arrests between 2022 and 2024. The rise is fueled by external conflicts—particularly ISIS and al‑Qaeda expansions in West Africa and Afghanistan—and by Russian hybrid activities that...
Irregular Warfare Center Seeks Research on Homeland Defense for 2026 Colloquium
The Irregular Warfare Center (IWC) announced a call for papers for its 2026 Irregular Warfare Colloquium, focusing on how irregular warfare reshapes U.S. homeland defense. The two‑day event will take place September 15‑16 in the Washington, D.C. area and will...
Research Highlights Freedom of Information Act Risks in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Graduate researcher Melanie Simmons at the Center for Homeland Defense and Security warns that the Freedom of Information Act, originally designed for paper records, now exposes homeland‑security data to AI‑driven aggregation. Her thesis shows that the act’s blind‑requester rule lets...
Trump FY2027 Budget Proposes Record Homeland Security Boost, $1.5T Defense Spending Surge
The Trump administration submitted a FY2027 budget request totaling $2.16 trillion, featuring a record $1.5 trillion allocation for the newly renamed Department of War and a modest $63 billion discretionary request for DHS, bolstered by $31.4 billion mandatory funding from the Working Families Tax...
GAO: Offshore Wind Projects Rely on Mix of U.S. and Foreign Vessels, Driving Some Shipbuilding Investment
The GAO examined three Atlantic offshore‑wind projects and found that about 80% of the more than 300 vessels used were U.S.-flag, with the remaining 20% being larger foreign‑flag ships. U.S. vessels performed support roles, while foreign vessels handled specialized installation...
The ISKP Crocus City Hall Terrorist Attack Trial and Its Implications for Russia’s Counterterrorism Strategy
A Moscow military court sentenced 19 individuals for the March 2024 Crocus City Hall attack, the deadliest terrorist strike in Russia in two decades, killing 150 people and wounding 609. Four Tajik nationals received life imprisonment and were each fined...
Farhan Khan Announced as FCC Chief Information Officer
The Federal Communications Commission announced Farhan Khan as its new Chief Information Officer. Khan will set the agency’s technical vision, oversee IT services, drive modernization, and safeguard information security. He previously served as Chief Digital Officer at the FDA, managing...
FAST Opens Call for 2026 Security Technician of the Year Award Nominations
The Foundation for Advancing Security Talent (FAST) has opened nominations for its 2026 Security Technician of the Year Awards, with entries due by April 22. Winners will be honored at a ceremony on June 4 during ESX 2026. The award...
Iran’s Proxies Are Weaker. That Doesn’t Mean We’re Safer.
Iran’s proxy network—Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis—has been degraded by battlefield losses, but the remaining cells are more fragmented and harder to detect. Days before the conflict escalated, the FBI dismissed a dozen agents monitoring Iranian threats, and U.S. counter‑terrorism offices at...
Does the US-Iran War Increase the Risk of Lone-Actor Terrorism in the UK?
The article evaluates whether the US‑Israel‑Iran war heightens lone‑actor terrorism risk in the United Kingdom. It records 23 attacks from 2013‑2025, with the Manchester Arena bombing responsible for 72% of fatalities, and notes that MI5 has disrupted dozens of plots....
The Defense-in-Depth Question the United States Has Not Asked
The United States bases Tier‑1 critical‑infrastructure protection on Post‑Quantum Cryptography (PQC) alone, diverging from its broader defense‑in‑depth doctrine. A new ICIT paper shows that PQC and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) are technically coupled, sharing authentication and downgrade vulnerabilities, yet U.S....
CISA Webinar 4/7 – 4/8: Federal Security Certification Virtual Training
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is hosting a free Federal Security Certification Training (FSCT) webinar on April 7‑8, covering the Interagency Security Committee’s risk management process and Facility Security Committee responsibilities. The course satisfies the minimum training requirements...
GAO: 5 Out of 6 Federal Agencies Not Using Cyber Workforce Dashboard
The Office of Personnel Management introduced a Cyber Workforce Dashboard in 2023 to give federal agencies a unified view of cyber staffing and enable benchmarking. A GAO review of six agencies found that five agencies—and OPM itself—do not use the...
Craig Basham Appointed Deputy CIO at the U.S. Secret Service
Craig Basham has been named Deputy Chief Information Officer of the U.S. Secret Service. He previously served as Deputy Executive Director of the DHS Office of the CIO, overseeing IT operations for more than 12,000 personnel across the National Capital...
The Real Stakes in the DOW Vs. Anthropic AI Battle: Part I
The General Services Administration’s draft AI contract clause asserts government ownership of all data, outputs, and derivative value, while prohibiting vendors from reusing that information for model improvement. Anthropic has pushed back, arguing the clause undermines the feedback loops essential...
New Report Exposes And Details Iranian Regime Supporters Across The U.S.
The Middle East Media Research Institute released a detailed report exposing Iranian‑inspired terror networks and propaganda operations across the United States. It documents operatives scouting targets, establishing religious and educational venues, and mobilizing student groups to spread Tehran’s revolutionary ideology....
FEMA Announces Additional Public Assistance for Michigan Utilities
President Trump amended FEMA’s Major Disaster Declaration 4880‑DR‑MI to include Public Assistance Category F for utilities across all declared Michigan counties and tribal jurisdictions. The change enables the agency to reimburse at least 75% of eligible repair costs for electric infrastructure,...
Homeland Security Today Announces Expanded Counterterrorism Editorial Board
Homeland Security Today announced a major expansion of its Counterterrorism vertical, unveiling a dedicated Editorial Board of more than 40 experts from government, academia, and industry, and launching a new "Frontline Watch" feature. The board, chaired by Dr. Mahmut Cengiz,...
Convicted Child Sex Offender in Texas Denaturalized With Help From USCIS
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) assisted ICE in revoking the citizenship of Carlos Noe Gallegos, a Mexican national who concealed a child sexual‑assault conviction during his 2010 naturalization. The Southern District of Texas found his citizenship was illegally obtained...
The Global Spread of Salafi-Jihadism and Its Enduring Security Threat
Salafi‑jihadist ideology remains a durable global security threat, responsible for roughly 45% of all terrorist attacks between 2021 and 2024. Despite leadership decapitations and territorial losses, affiliates operate in more than 25 countries, sustaining a steady operational tempo of 3,000‑plus...
Department of War Contracts for March 20, 2026
The Department of War announced a series of major defense contracts on March 20, 2026, including a $414 million modification that lifts the Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory’s Missile Defense Agency award to a $714 million ceiling through November 2031. The...
Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence Requests GAO Review of Threats Posed by AI-Enabled Terrorism
The House Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, led by Chairman August Pfluger, has asked the Government Accountability Office to conduct a comprehensive review of how extremist groups exploit emerging artificial‑intelligence tools. The letter highlights that generative AI enables cheap, mass‑produced...
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star Completes Operation Deep Freeze 2026 Mission
U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker USCGC Polar Star completed its 2026 Operation Deep Freeze mission after 55 days below the Antarctic Circle, covering 14,000 miles. The cutter rescued the cruise ship Scenic Eclipse II, cut a seven‑mile ice channel, and escorted the...
Transportation Department Opens $650K Design Challenge for U.S. Infrastructure Projects
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy launched the "Beautifying Transportation Infrastructure Challenge," a nationwide design competition offering $650,000 in prize money. The contest spans three tiers—Professional, Public, and Student—targeting designers, artists, and K‑12 students with top awards of $250,000, $50,000,...
Hearing Targets Risks to U.S. Infrastructure From Chinese AI and Robotics Systems
On March 17, the House Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection held a hearing to assess national‑security threats posed by Chinese artificial‑intelligence, robotics and autonomous‑sensing technologies. Lawmakers focused on firms such as DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics, warning that their systems...
Michael Robbins Testifies Before Congress on Risks of Chinese Robotics and AI
Michael Robbins, CEO of AUVSI, testified before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee warning that China is executing a state‑backed plan to dominate the global robotics and physical AI market. He argued that massive subsidies enable Chinese firms to flood markets...
Northern Virginia’s Data Center Alley Processes 70% of Global Internet Traffic
Northern Virginia’s “Data Center Alley,” home to 570 facilities, processes an estimated 70% of global internet traffic. The region’s advantages—affordable power from natural gas and nuclear, abundant water, and a dense fiber network—have attracted major cloud providers. Energy demand from...
Updated Report Tracks Jihadist Terrorism Trends in the U.S. Since 9/11
An updated report now tracks jihadist terrorism cases in the United States from the post‑9/11 era through 2024, expanding the original 2021 analysis with fresh data. It catalogs individuals accused of jihadist‑related crimes domestically or abroad, including some who died...
Six Critical 5G Security Challenges as Connectivity Expands
5G’s rollout introduces unprecedented bandwidth and low latency, enabling applications from autonomous vehicles to remote surgery, but also expands the cyber attack surface dramatically. The architecture’s reliance on software‑defined networking, network slicing, and edge computing creates new vectors such as...
Report Urges Congressional Action to Support AI Adoption Across Federal Agencies
A new report by the Partnership for Public Service and Inclusive Abundance urges Congress to act to accelerate AI adoption across federal agencies. It finds that workforce gaps, talent shortages, fragmented communication, and legacy IT systems are slowing progress. The...
For Your Information, Inc. Awarded $37M U.S. Secret Service Contract for HR Staffing Support
For Your Information, Inc., a SBA‑certified woman‑owned small business, secured a nearly $37 million contract from the U.S. Secret Service to provide human‑resources staffing support. The two‑year award, administered through the GSA Multiple Award Schedule, obligates $7.12 million annually and was won...
Canada Announces $40 Billion Plan to Strengthen Arctic Security, Infrastructure, and Development
Canada announced a $40 billion Arctic strategy, allocating over $35 billion in federal funds to boost security, infrastructure, and economic development. The plan earmarks $32 billion for forward operating locations in Yellowknife, Inuvik and Iqaluit, plus $2.67 billion for new support hubs and nodes....
NIWC Carries MRAP Innovation Forward With Marine Drone Defeating Air Defense System
The Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic (NIWC) delivered the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) to the Marine Corps, mounting a 30 mm cannon, Stinger missiles and electronic‑warfare tools on two JLTVs. Developed from 2022 using commercial‑off‑the‑shelf parts and the command’s...
Infrastructure Resilience in an Era of Escalation: Why Cross-Sector Coordination Is the Critical Path
U.S. intelligence warns foreign adversaries, especially Iran, are intensifying cyber attacks on critical infrastructure. The 2025 Threat Assessment highlights coordinated efforts by Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea across energy, transport, water, and manufacturing sectors. CISA reports Iranian actors using...
Global Financial Crime Surges to $4.4 Trillion, New Report Warns
Nasdaq Verafin’s 2026 Global Financial Crime Report estimates illicit activity at $4.4 trillion, a $1.3 trillion increase since 2023 and a 19.2% CAGR. Drug trafficking accounts for $1.1 trillion, human trafficking $528.5 billion, and terrorist financing $16.2 billion. Fraud scams surged to $579.4 billion, driven by...
Former FBI Counterintelligence Agent Jeffrey Parsons Joins GWU Program on Extremism as Senior Research Fellow
Jeffrey Parsons, a former FBI counterintelligence and counterterrorism specialist, has been appointed senior research fellow at George Washington University’s Program on Extremism. He brings more than three decades of experience from the FBI, MITRE’s AI‑focused counterintelligence work, and a naval...
Transportation Department Launches ‘Freedom Moves You’ Campaign Ahead of America’s 250th Anniversary
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy unveiled the “Freedom Moves You” campaign, a free storytelling program that places historic American imagery in airports, train stations, bus stops and highways. The initiative, powered by images from the Heritage Foundation, will appear...
