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Contents of this Month's Update
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Terrorism, whether international or domestic in origin, remains a top threat to our national security, and considerable resources are devoted to addressing this danger. Certainly there are efforts to detect and prevent specific acts, but other work seeks a deeper understanding of the influences and circumstances that lead an individual or group to plan and carry out such attacks in the first place. A common thread among domestic and international terrorists is adherence to extremist views that contribute to their motivation and willingness to conduct terrorist acts...but how do these extremist views develop and gain traction in the first place, and can we stop them before they lead to violence?
In an effort to spur research into this question, CINA is co-sponsoring a virtual event on Thursday, March 25, looking at cyber extremism and violence in our highly connected world. With our partner COEs NCITE and START, we are convening experts in individual and group extremism development to share their knowledge, experience, and expertise with the audience. A subset of the group will meet after the event to develop white papers that outline the key questions, challenges, and possible ways forward. Vigilance to detect and thwart terrorist attacks remains necessary, but it is through understanding, action, and intervention that we will be able to prevent these attacks before they even form.
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Cyber Extremism and Violence in a Hyperconnected World
Register now for the upcoming Cyber Extremism event taking place on Thursday, March 25 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Cyberspace content and interactions have emerged as a breeding ground for the spread, or even birth of extremism and violence. From the large-scale spreading of authority-undermining or divisive misinformation, to the recruitment of terrorists or gang members, to the planning of extremist activities, we are increasingly observing the growth of a cyberphysical nexus of extremism. Within this dynamic connection, extremist ideas spill over from cyberspace to the real world, leading to violence and increasingly complex threats to homeland security.
In this event we bring together leading academic experts to discuss this catalyst of extremism and violence, aiming at advancing our ability to identify and monitor such activities across the cyberphysical spectrum. Panel discussions are followed by breakout sessions to identify relevant research priorities.
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SolarWinds: Hacked Seminar
The SolarWinds cyberattack, affecting U.S. government agencies and technology companies, is one of the largest cybersecurity breaches in recent history. SolarWinds produces network management software that is widely adopted, and hackers are believed to have exploited weaknesses in SolarWinds’ system-to-system (supply chain) updates that commonly exist between many internet-connected ecosystems. This is sometimes described as a software supply chain attack.
This seminar's discussion forcused on the hack's impact and research aimed at preventing and mitigating similar cyber-attacks. Questions discussed include the impact of the attack, what can be done to prevent or mitigate such attacks, and how to detect them earlier.
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CINA Welcomes 2020-21 Open RFP White Paper Submissions
CINA continues to welcome white paper submissions presenting research ideas intended to address questions and challenges that CINA, DHS, and/or its federal partners are currently facing, or are expected to be facing in the near future. This rolling RFP provides an opportunity for submissions to be accepted at any time during the RFP open period (June 2020 – June 2021).
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New Micro-Internship Options
CINA continues to focus on enhancing workforce development opportunities for the next generation of homeland security experts, and is investigating a micro-internship model which could offer students a shorter experiential learning option.
The paid, professional, short-term internship is structured to allow for completion of a specific industry need and usually covers 4-6 weeks of work incorporating 5-40 hours total. Micro-internships have been very successful and are particularly adaptable to open-source research, allowing students to participate in a virtual internship. To review a Statement of Work (SOW) between the student and employer, contact Deanna Austin.
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Now Coordinating Summer and Fall Internship Opportunities
CINA offers workforce development opportunities for the next generation of homeland security experts, facilitating internships and mentorships for students and recent graduates both within academic institutions and DHS industry partners.
Ready to offer a student internship experience? Contact Deanna Austin to discuss requirements, timeframe, and areas of interest. Learn how to become part of the applicant matching process to connect your organization with CINA-sponsored students who can offer knowledge, skills, and abilities along with an eagerness to learn through these experiential opportunities.
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Wednesday, April 14: Fighting Illicit Trade in the Forms of Trademark Counterfeiting and Copyright Piracy
Join Jeffrey Hardy, Director-General, Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade on Wednesday, April 14 from 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EST to listen to him discuss the fight on illicit trade.
From smuggling, counterfeiting and tax evasion, to the trafficking of humans and wildlife, illicit trade holds back progress, increases costs and pushes the goals further away.
While data on this clandestine activity has previously been scarce, there is mounting evidence of the economic, social and environmental losses it can cause.
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Digital Archive: CINA Virtual Distinguished Speaker Series with Celina Realuyo
Watch the recent CINA Distinguished Speaker Series with Celina Realuyo as she discusses the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, security and transnational organized crime in the Americas.
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U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Centers of Excellence Summit 2021
Theme: University Research and Workforce Development for a Safe and Secure Homeland
When: May 17–21, 2021
Where: Virtual Event
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Hosted by the DHS Centers of Excellence (COE), this virtual event offers a unique opportunity for COE researchers to connect and network with DHS components, federal, state, and local stakeholders, as well as industry partners.
For more information about the DHS COE Summit visit the event website at:
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You're invited to submit articles, photos, videos, and story ideas to include in upcoming newsletters. Submit your ideas on our website contact form.
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