Grayman Briefing - 2nd Amendment, Protests & Civil Unrest, Censorship, Supply Chain, National Security Intel, & Survival News

FYSA - Cybersecurity / 2nd Amendment: Nationwide on August 26th; the ATF confirmed they were the target of a cyberattack to a standalone system that held data on ATF investigation targets. The Qilin ransomware group (Russia, and to an extent, North Korea linked RaaS gang) listed ATF on its leak site. The ATF said the system was not linked to its main network that manages eForms or case systems. Officials shut the system down after they found the breach. The Justice Department called it a major incident. According to information obtained by anonymous sources within the ATF, no NFA or eForms information was accessed by the hackers. Qilin did not p...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)

FYSA - Cybersecurity: Nationwide reported August 26th; Chinese state-sponsored group QTFY, under authority of the PRC Ministry of State Security and People’s Liberation Army, conducted computer intrusions to the U.S. Federal Reserve, NASA, DOJ, U.S. Senate, Energy Department, HHS, NIH, hospitals, telecommunications providers, power companies, financial institutions, and defense contractors targeting U.S. critical infrastructure and sensitive networks. The DOJ and FBI seized domains of the Chinese state-sponsored hacking platforms QScan and QTRouter operated by group QTFY. The extent of damages and information breached ha snot veen revealed. Debrief: These intrusions expose ongoing foreign access risks to key America...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)

FYSA - Infrastructure / Natural Disaster: In HI, IN, TN, NC, and LA, from August 11-24th; Major power outages from severe weather continue affecting ~1 million across multiple U.S. regions, with prolonged restorations in Hawaii from Hurricane Lala, Northwest Indiana from a derecho, Memphis from a weekend bow-echo storm, plus smaller impacts in Charlotte and Louisiana. In HI; Hawaiian Electric restored power to most Hawaii Island customers after Hurricane Lala, but 6,000+ remained without service, with remote areas, including parts of Kau, facing full restoration by September 8th and others extending 5-7 days amid Tropical Storm Moke risks. In IN; NIPSCO reported 10,000+ customers remain without power in the Northwest following the August 11 Storm Lucy derecho and subsequent storms that peaked at over 374,500 total outages. In TN; Memphis Light, Gas and Water saw a peak of about 140,000 customers affected by an August 22 bow-echo storm with 80 mph winds, the seventh-most damaging in utility history, leaving roughly 59,000 without power and projecting majority restoration by August 27th. In NC; Duke Energy reported peak outages exceeding 10,000 in the Charlotte area from August 21 storms. In LA; Entergy recorded ~7,000 customers ou

Preparedness Brief: National Summary for Agricultural, Natural Resources, Disaster Recovery, and Self-Sufficiency Impacts. BLUF: AK receives an extended Arctic diesel waiver after supply disruptions; WA remains under drought and a statewide burn ban; NC maintains widespread water restrictions while Brunswick County eases local restrictions; UT reports sharply depleted reservoirs; TX agricultural producers receive expanded flood-recovery assistance; IA expands drought watches into southwest IA; Moab, UT implements permanent landscape-watering restrictions; ND sees statewide drought disaster; NE gets relief for transport of agriculture supply. 》In AK on July 30th; EPA renewed an emergency diesel-fuel waiver addressing supply disruptions above the Arctic Circle. Effective August 6th–25th under the Clean Air Act, it temporarily permit... 》In WA in late July; the Department of Ecology reported that the statewide drought declared in April remains in effect during the state’s fourth consecutive drought year, while an emergency sta... 》In NC on July 30th; the Governor’s Office and Department of Environmental Quality reported that recent rainfall improved drought conditions but left many reservoirs and groundwater levels below norm... 》In UT on July 30th; the Division of Water Resources reported that statewide reservoir storage averaged 57% full—17% below normal and 22% below the s... 》In TX on July 24th; USDA announced disaster assistance for agricultural producers affected by recent flooding and opened a 60-day Emergency Conservation Program enrollment period beginning July 27th in 24 counties. Availabl... 》In IA on August 6th; the Department of Natural Resources issued a new drought watch for southwest Iowa while ma... 》In UT on August 10th; City of Moab Ordinance #2026-15 took effect and permanently restricted above-ground landscape sprinkler irrigation for city-water customers to the period between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. The restrict... 》In NC on August 17th; Brunswick County Public Utilities moved customers from a Stage 3 Water Shortage Warning to a Stage 2 Mandatory Water Conservation Alert after the county improved from Exceptional Drought (D4) to Extre... 》In ND on August 18th; The Governor declared a statewide drought disaster and the State Water Commission activated the Drought Disaster Livesto... 》In NE on August 13th; the Governo reissued an executive order extending regulatory relief for commercial drivers hauling hay an...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)

Cybersecurity Brief: National Summary with Law & Order, Infrastructure, Privacy, and National Security implications. BLUF: Lawmakers propose all commercial AI developers give kill switch powers to DHS; Gunra ransomware targets government and critical infrastructure; Flock shortens data retention and mandates safeguards after public pushback; Cl0p claims mass data theft from major energy, manufacturing, and financial firms; RingCentral breach exposes data tied to 1.6 million accounts 》Nationwide, reported August 14-15th; A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced the AI Kill Switch Act, H.R. 9917, requiring covered developers of the most powerful models to maintain the technical ability to throttle, suspend, or fully shut down systems developed with more than $100 million in compute at companies generating $500 million or more in annual revenue from the technology, with personal, academic, an... 》Federal cybersecurity and law-enforcement agencies warned that Gunra ransomware affiliates ar... 》Nationwide, reported August 13th; Flock Safety announced it is reducing its default automated license plate reader data retention from 30 days to 7 days, effective for new recommendations, based on analysis that over 90 percent of searches without a full plate occur within a week, while adding free Evidence Mode to archive specific records tied to a case number for active investigations in cold storage, with rollout in the coming weeks. Existing customers retain current periods; agencies gain offense filtering to restrict other agencies' searches by type, such as permitting stolen vehicles, missing persons, or violent crime while blocking immigration enforcement; and Audit Assistance, which flags abnormal search behavior, becomes mandatory for all law enforcement customers by the end of 2026, along with proactive lockouts and required case codes. The changes follow public pushback and nearly 50 documented officer misuse case... 》The Cl0p extortion group claimed it stole large amounts of data fro... 》Approximately 1.6 million unique email addresses associated with cloud communications provider RingCentral were included in data published following a ShinyHunters extortion campaign, along with names, ...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)

Cybersecurity Brief: Commercial Flight BLUF: Rogue Wi-Fi hotspot mimicking Delta’s network detected on a commercial flight after DEF CON, FBI investigating with no aircraft systems compromised; Researchers demonstrate a sub-$100 physical-access device capable of spoofing critical Boeing 737 flight-management data and commands. 》In NV and GA, reported August 10-11th; An unauthorized Wi-Fi network named "Delta WiFi Fast" appeared on Delta Flight 591, a Boeing 757 carrying 199 passengers and six crew from Las Vegas to Atlanta on August 10 after DEF CON 34. Cabin crew detected the rogue hotspot mimicking the airline's service and disabled the official in-flight Wi-Fi for about 30 minutes out of concern it was an evil twin attack to harvest credentials. Pilots sent ACARS messages alerting corporate security about a possible jam and scam by passengers from the cybersecurity conference. The flight landed safely with no emergency declared. Delta confirmed no systems were hacked, safety was never in question, and no aircraft operating systems were affected. FBI Atlanta is investigating with no arrests reported. Debrief: This highlights passenger-side risks of evil twin attacks on commercial flights, especially post-major conferences, showing how readily available tools can target travelers without compromising flight controls. Citizens should avoid connecting to unfamiliar networks mid-flight and use VPNs for situational awareness of credential phishing threats. 》Separately in CA and Nationwide, reported August 12th; Researchers from UC San Diego and Oberlin College presented a coin-sized Wi-Fi-enabled device costing under $100 that installs in under 60 seconds via an unlocked exterior hatch port on a Boeing 737 Next Generation to spoof commands on the Flight Management Computer and Multipurpose Control Display Unit. The prototype, developed over more than a decade using secondhand avionics parts in a lab testbed called Triton and dubbed Bus Driver, overrides signals to rewrite autopilot waypoints or alter takeoff values such as total weight and outside air temperature while displaying normal readings to pilots; effects could include runwa...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)

FYSA - Health & Safety: Nationwide on August 10th; Presiden Trump signed an executive order reducing universally recommended childhood vaccines from 18 diseases to 11, meaning fewer core shots for all children with no new vaccines added to the universal list. The 11 remaining for all children are measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenzae type B, pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus, and varicella. Removed from universal recommendation and shifted to high-risk groups or shared clinical decision-making are hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, influenza, COVID-19, plus RSV monoclonal antibodies and dengue for high-risk only. The order also calls for separating the combined MMR into three single-disease shots once available and administering all immunizations at separate medical visits to the maximum extent feasible, which could increase the number of appointments. HHS Secretary Kennedy Jr. must present related plans within 90 days. Prior related schedule changes remain blocked in court. Debrief: The reduction in universal recommendations prioritizes alignment with peer nations and parental choice, while separate visits and potential MMR splitting may raise appointment numbers and costs for families who follow the full schedule. The schedule change removes vaccines that science and the Administration determined posed more of a risk (death/illness) than a benefit (debated resistance to diseases minors are unlikely to ever be exposed to). Citizens sh...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)

Cybersecurity Brief: National Summary BLUF: CISA warns of active exploitation of Microsoft SharePoint; Cyberattacks target water systems in multiple states; Operational technology remains a priority target; Levi Strauss corporate data stolen through social engineering; Healthcare technology breach affects 3.8 million people; AI continues to accelerate cyber threats against government and infrastructure. 》Federal authorities confirmed cyberattacks against water and wastewater systems i... 》CISA urged organizations to immediately harden and patch on-premise... 》The recent attacks reinforce federal warnings that operational technology controlling essential services remains a high-value targe... 》On August 7th, Levi Strauss & Co. disclosed to the SEC that an unauthorized third party used social engineering techniques to gain access to three employees' company-issued computers and exfiltrate corporate information. The company said it contained the incident, found no evidence that consumer data was affected, and did not expect a material impact on its operations or financial condition. Debrief: Vishing (voice phishing conducted through phone or voice communications) and AI-enabled voice mimicking are social-engineering techniques that can make fraudulent calls appear legitimate, altho... 》Unlimited Technology Systems, also known as Unlimited Systems, reported a hacking incident affecting 3,803,750 individuals to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, making it the largest healthcare breach reported to HHS so far in 2026. Attackers accessed the company's environment between October 5th and 10th, 2025, and potentially stole information including names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, contact information, government identification, insurance information, m... 》Cybersecurity leaders speaking at a Washington, D.C. security forum warned that artificial intelligence is rapidly increasing attackers' ability to conduct ransomware, data theft, and network intrusions. Experts said bo...

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FYSA - National Security: Nationwide; U.S. military stockpiles of "key precision missiles" have been "heavily" depleted after more than five months of conflict with Iran that began in February under Operation Epic Fury. ATACMS and PrSM long-range surface-to-surface missiles are reportedly "virtually exhausted" according to multiple sources familiar with Pentagon data. Tomahawk cruise missiles are also reported to be 50% expended. Patriot interceptors dropped from a pre-war estimate of roughly 2,200-2,330 to 759-827 remaining, a depletion of about 65%. THAAD interceptors fell from 452 to as low as 234. Replenishment of these systems is projected to take until mid-to-late 2029 or 2030 under current production rates. President Trump has publicly stated the arsenal remains "virtually unlimited" while the administration seeks supplemental funding to accelerate manufacturing. A Mecca Joint Defence Pact was signed on August 7th by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey establishing mutual defense. U.S. forces continue enforcing a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing Iran-Oman talks on shippin...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)

Censorship Brief: Summary of Censorship, Bias, and 1st Amendment developments. BLUF: Microsoft device ID tracking revealed; Judge blocks visa censorship policy; Apple pulls Telegram briefly; Google expands age signals API; Illinois signs device age law; Wichita sues over plate cameras; Florida agency searches activist records; UK rules out VPN limits; UK police offer thinking course; Australia finalizes news pay plan; Canada police review lawful speech; Apple challenges UK backdoor; Signal prepares numberless accounts. 》Nationwide; an FBI affidavit in the arrest of an alleged Scattered Spider member showed Microsoft Global Device ID records linking Win... 》In July; the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia blocked the State Department policy allowing visa denials or deportations of no... 》Globally on August 3rd; Apple removed Telegram from the App Store worldwide for about 40 minutes after finding CSAM from one user then restored it after the developer banned the us... 》Globally; Google announced expansion of the "Play Age Signals" API to a... 》In IL.; Illinois Governor JB Pritzker on July 31 2026 signed the Children's Social Media Safety Act requiring internet-enabled devices operating systems and app stores from 2028 to collect primary user age brackets d... 》In KS; a Wichita machinist sued the city in Sedgwick County District Court seeking to declare its nearly 200 Flock aut... 》In FL; Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission employees accessed the DAVID datab... 》In the United Kingdom on July 15th; the Online Safety Minister confirmed the government decided not to limit or age-gate VPNs citing legitimate privacy and security uses while noting the decision is for now and Ofcom must report by October on detecting VPN circumvention of age checks. Separately Sussex Police officers offered an animal rights campaigner a community resolution requiring an online thinking skills course over an Instagram reel about a beagle breeding facility under the Online Safety Act false communications offense which was dropped after legal representation. Additionally Apple filed a complaint last month at the Investigatory Powers T... 》In Australia on August 3rd; the government finalized the News Bargaining Incentive imposing a 2.5 percent charge on digital advertising re... 》In Canada; Edmonton Police Service maintained an online form for reporting hate-motivated incidents defined as non-criminal actions based on bias after removing an August 2nd X post urging such reports while Bill C-9 the Combatting Hate Act which expanded hate speech offenses and removed the good-faith religi...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)

Field Notes - 2nd Amendment: Nationwide on August 5th; a U.S. District ruled that the federal government cannot enforce National Firearms Act registration requirements against the plaintiffs for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and certain other firearms whose federal transfer and manufacturing taxes were reduced to zero. The court concluded that after Congress eliminated the taxes supporting the statute’s revenue framework, the remaining registration scheme could not be sustained under the taxing power; the injunction presently protects the plaintiffs, participating organizations, members, and customers rather than automatically invalidating enforcement nationwide. The Court's opinion explained, "Because today’s NFA does not generate any revenue from untaxed firearms, its regulatory provisions cannot be upheld under the taxing power". Debrief: Owners should no...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)

》In OR, reported July 27th; the Oregon Secretary of State's Elections Division disqualified Initiative Petition 28 from th...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)

2nd Amendment Brief: National Summary BLUF: The DOJ seeks emergency relief against CA's Glock-style handgun ban/roster; CO's new permit-to-purchase system for specified semiautomatic firearms takes effect; In MD a federal lawsuit challenges carry ban near churches; the Fifth Circuit rejected a far-left challenge to TX firearm-notice laws; In VA a court stayed its "assault firearm" ban case while keeping the statewide injunction in effect pending SCOTUS, OR's anti-hunting Initiative Petition 28 failed to qualify for ballot. 》In CA, on July 30th; the U.S. Department of Justice sought a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to block enforcement of AB 1127, California's ban on the sale and transfer of Glock and similar cruciform trigger-bar handguns. The federal filing also requested relief against California's handgun roster, which restricts the models licensed dealers may sell. The DOJ argued that Glock-style pistols are among the country's most popular handguns and that prohibiting residents from acquiring them violates the Second Amendment. Debrief: This is a material new development from the previously reported private challenge because the federal government is now directly seeking emergency judicial relief against both the Glock ban and the broader handgun roster. 》In CO, on August 1st; SB 25-003 took effect, prohibiting the purchase, sale, or transfer of specified semiautomatic firearms unless the buyer first completes required firearms training and obtains a Firearms Safety Course Eligibility Card through a county sheriff. Applicants generally must complete either four or twelve hours of training, undergo a separate background check, submit documentation to the sheriff, and may be charged local processing fees. The law also prohibits rapid-fire conversion devices, including bump stocks and binary triggers. Debrief: The law replaces an outright ban proposal with a licensing system that adds training, fees, background checks, and discretionary sheriff approval before residents may acquire many magazine-fed semiautomatic firearms. The system is already facing a federal constitutional challenge. 》In MD, reported July 30th; a rabbi and the Silver Spring Jewish Center filed a federal lawsuit challenging Montgomery County's prohibition on carrying firearms within 100 yards of broadly defined "places of public assembly," including houses of worship, parks, schools, libraries, recreational facilities, and polling places. The plaintiffs argue the ordinance prevents lawful armed self-defense during worship and even restricts the rabbi's walking route between his home and synagogue. The DOJ Civil Rights Division separately warned that it may sue the county unless the restrictions near houses of worship are changed. Debrief: The challenge targets a broad local sensitive-place designation that effectively prohibits lawful carry across substantial portions of the county, including private religious property where congregational leaders may wish to allow firearms. 》In TX, on July 31st; the en banc U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit dismissed an Everytown-backed lawsuit challenging Texas laws governing how businesses and other private-property owners provide notice that licensed handgun carry is prohibited. In a 13-3 decision, the court held that the plaintiffs lacked standing and were not compelled to post the state-prescribed signs because owners may instead personally direct an armed visitor to leave. Debrief: The ruling preserves Texas's default framework allowing licensed carry on private property open to the public unless the owner provide...(CLASSIFIED) 》In VA, on July 30th; the Washington County Circuit Court entered an order staying Santolla v. Katz, the NRA-backed challenge to Virginia's commonly owned semiautomatic firearm and magazine bans, until the U.S. Supreme Court issues decisions in Viramontes v. Coo...(CLASSIFIED)

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FYSA - Infrastructure / National Security: In MN on July 26th–28th; a coordinated cyberattack targeted operational technology at more than 30 community water systems, prompting Minnesota IT Services to activate a statewide incident response with federal, state, local, Tribal, and private-sector partners. Braham, Plymouth, South St. Paul, and Maple Plain reported plant outages, communications failures, or disrupted automated controls, although authorities had not issued public drinking-water restrictions as this writing. Debrief: Preliminary assessments point to Irania...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)

FYSA - Food Recall: In AZ, CA, CO, GA, IL, LA, MI, MO, MS, NC, NM, NV, NY, OK, SC, TX, and WV on July 25th; the FDA confirmed increased Salmonella infections and subsequent hospitalizations across 17 states linked in part to shell eggs produced by Midwest Poultry Services in Texas. Approximately 19 million eggs with sell-by dates through mid-August were recalled after distribution to multiple retailers, including Kroger and Brookshire stores. Debrief: Consumers shoul...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)

Government Oversight Brief: COVID-19 BLUF: Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment after receiving a presidential pardon, over 1,100 pages of his private diary entries were released, and the Trump Administration published a White House page on COVID-19 origins, gain-of-function research, and the federal pandemic response. On July 29th, Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared before the Senate's Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC). Fauci exercised his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination 69 times at the Senate committee hearing, declining to answer questions on the origins of COVID-19 and the U.S. pandemic response. This questioning occurred after Fauci received a full and unconditional preemptive pardon from President Joe Biden on January 19th, 2025. The pardon covered any federal offenses he committed or taken part in from January 1st, 2014, through the date of the pardon, specifically those arising from or related to his service as Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as a member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, the White House COVID-19 Response Team, or as Chief Medical Advisor to the President. In late July, Sen. Rand Paul released over 1,100 pages of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s electronic private diary entries spanning December 2019 to December 2022. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said his team recovered the typewritten notes after an eight-month search across 11 government servers where they had been sequestered, then provided them to Paul and Sen. Ron Johnson as part of a COVID origins probe. In the recovered "private journal," on January 26th, 2020, Fauci wrote that the Wuhan wet market “was not the source, it was the amplifier,” with the first infection in early December unconnected to it. On February 1st, 2020, during a call with about a dozen scientists (linked to the later Proximal Origin paper), he noted only two believed the virus was natural; the rest thought “deliberate insertion was possible,” citing gain-of-function work at the Wuhan lab, and concluded “we could not let this go.” Amid rising deaths, Fauci extensively tracked his media profile and fame. In a May 21, 2020, entry, he wrote that his “national and international fame is explosive and really unimaginable” and that it was “not hyperbole” to say he was “the most famous and talked about person in the country and one of the most recognizable” in the world. He logged flattering coverage, Secret Service familiarity, and merchandise (“swag”), including Fauci donuts, T-shirts, socks, mugs, bobbleheads, and “St. Fauci” prayer candles. Celebrity notes include a call with Barbra Streisand (vaccine advice plus explaining Alexa), interactions with Julia Roberts, and a declined Dancing with the Stars invitation. The diaries contrast private thoughts with public messaging and document White House tensions as Fauci publicly made statements that were in opposition to what he wrote privately. On July 29th, while Fauci was being questioned and refusing to answer questions, the Trump Administration provided a landing page on the origins and fraud relates to COVID-19, saying, "The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2 publication — which was used repeatedly by public health officials and the media to discredit the lab leak theory — was prompted by Dr. Fauci to push the preferred narrative that COVID-19 originated naturally." The White House confirmed COVID-19 originated from a laboratory incident at the Wuhan Institute of Virology involving gain-of-function research funded by Dr. Anthony Fauci, who promoted the natural-origin narrative and other disinformation. EcoHealth Alliance used U.S. taxpayer fundin...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)

FYSA - Defense Industrial Base: Nationwide on July 20th; President Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Defense to prioritize domestic and allied sources for critical defense materials while reducing reliance on foreign adversaries. The order requires contractors to map supply chains and exhaust domestic or allied sourcing options before requesting waivers, with non-compliance potentially affecting eligibility for future defense contracts. Debrief: Th...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)

FYSA - Government Oversight / First Amendment: Nationwide; the Department of Justice issued grand jury and phone records subpoenas targeting multiple New York Times reporters and, in some instances, their spouses and a parent as part of a criminal investigation into leaks concerning security issues involving a Qatari-donated presidential aircraft. During a federal court hearing, the judge questioned the subpoenas' potential First Amendment implications, after which the DOJ withdrew the subpoenas while stating the underlying leak investigation remains active. Debrief: Although the subpoe...(CLASSIFIED, get briefs in real-time unredacted by joining at www.graymanbriefing.com)