(TLP:CLEAR) Homeland Security Officials Assess Physical and Cyber Threats to the Homeland during Congressional Hearing

Summary: Earlier this month, homeland security officials testified before the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security offering their assessments on the current threats facing the U.S. One official emphasized the homeland faces persistent terrorist, nation state, and criminal threats to our national security, our economy, and our communities.

Analyst Note: The speakers—which included DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the FBI’s Operations Director of the National Security Branch Michael Glasheen, and National Counterterrorism Center Director (NCTC) Joseph Kent—stressed the most significant threats to the homeland stem from cyber threat actors, foreign and domestic terrorists, and hostile nation states.

On cybersecurity, Director Noem stated that U.S. critical infrastructure faces a growing threat landscape, largely driven by the impact of cyber attacks from cyber criminals and other malicious actors. The FBI official noted that “China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and criminal ransomware continue to be the top cyber threats facing the [U.S] and, complicating this even more, there is no bright line where cybercriminal activity ends, and nation-state activity begins.”

On physical threats to critical infrastructure, Director Noem observed that terrorists and criminals with a variety of motivations and grievances continue to incite, and occasionally conduct, physical attacks against a range of targets. “This past year, they mobilized against major commercial sites, government offices, transportation gateways, energy systems, and healthcare facilities. Critical infrastructure targets are often selected based on opportunistic factors, such as accessibility or the ability to wreak widespread havoc,” Noem added.

Additionally, the unauthorized use of drones over critical infrastructure was identified as a rapidly growing threat vector due to how easily they can be obtained. They can also be difficult to detect and deter. Hostile nation states also pose a strategic threat to public safety, and their objectives may include disrupting national morale, undermining public trust, or exploiting symbolic events to further their geopolitical interests.

The current terrorist threat landscape is complex and constantly evolving, according to the NCTC Director. In particular, over the past several years, the FBI has tracked a concerning uptick in the radicalization of the nation’s young people. Radicalization of domestic terrorists most often occurs through online self-radicalization. Still, the FBI currently assesses international terrorists continue to pose one of the greatest, most immediate threats to the homeland. Some international terrorists are people located and radicalized to violence primarily in the U.S. who are not receiving individualized direction from foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) but are inspired by FTOs to commit violence.

Original Source: https://homeland.house.gov/hearing/worldwide-threats-to-the-homeland-3/  

Additional Reading:

• Homeland Threat Assessment 2025

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