CrisisWire’s Annual Threat Assessment Insights Report (2025 Edition)

A Year of Escalating Threats

In 2025, Hawaiʻi businesses, schools, and government leaders faced a convergence of risks once considered unlikely: insider threats, access control breaches, cyber-physical attacks, and leadership liability.

As someone who has served as a USAF veteran, LAPD officer, federal protective contractor under WPPS/WPS, and Director of Safety at a major Hawaiʻi university, I’ve spent my career at the frontlines of prevention. This report distills the lessons of 2025 into actionable insights for Hawaiʻi leaders — with the goal of turning uncertainty into preparedness.

Hawaiʻi’s Top Threat Trends in 2025

Insider Threats on the Rise

From hospitals to corporate offices, insider access abuse increased by nearly 30% nationwide, with Hawaiʻi following the same trend. The cultural emphasis on trust in the islands makes insider threats even harder to spot.

Access Control Weaknesses

Our October report revealed what we confirmed again in December: most Hawaiʻi schools and businesses lack regular access audits. Propped doors, badge misuse, and tailgating remain the norm — not the exception.

Cyber-Physical Convergence

Hackers are now going beyond data theft. By exploiting badge panels, visitor kiosks, and IoT devices, they’re blurring the line between cybercrime and physical intrusion. Hawaiʻi hospitals and hotels reported several close calls this year.

Leadership Accountability

Boards and CEOs are now personally liable for preventable failures. In Hawaiʻi, that means university presidents, hospital directors, and corporate leaders can no longer delegate safety as a “facilities issue.”

CrisisWire’s Annual Threat Assessment Insights Report (2025 Edition)

Case Studies from 2025

• Hospital Access Failure (Oʻahu): A visitor bypassed ID checks, entering a restricted wing. The event triggered HIPAA scrutiny and new liability policies.

• Corporate Breach (Honolulu): A disgruntled former employee used outdated badge credentials to access sensitive areas. Leadership faced litigation over lack of badge audits.

• Mainland Campus Model: A university on the mainland implemented CSTAG (Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines), reducing violent incidents by 40%. This model is highly adaptable to Hawaiʻi schools.

The CrisisWire Blueprint for 2026

To build resilience for the coming year, Hawaiʻi institutions should adopt a 360° threat assessment model:

• Form Multidisciplinary Threat Teams Combine HR, IT, security, and leadership in regular reviews.

• Audit Access Control Quarterly From doors to badge logs, leave no point unchecked.

• Integrate Cyber & Physical Security Treat them as one — because attackers do.

• Mandate Insider Threat Training Teach staff to recognize behavioral red flags.

• Leadership Documentation CEOs, presidents, and boards must document every audit, drill, and policy to prove due diligence.

Leadership Responsibility

Throughout my career — LAPD patrol in South L.A., embassy protection in Baghdad under WPPS, and university safety in Honolulu — one theme is constant: leaders own the outcome.

In Hawaiʻi, leadership negligence is no longer invisible. Courts, regulators, and communities expect documented readiness. The difference between liability and resilience is whether leaders embraced threat assessment as governance.

Resource Backlinks

• CrisisWire Blog Hub: CrisisWire Blog

• Q4 Series:

  • Access Control Blueprint

  • Visitor Management in Hawaiʻi

  • Cyber-Physical Security

• External Authority: FEMA, CISA, FBI Active Shooter Data

📘 Ready to move into 2026 with a clear plan? CrisisWire provides door-by-door audits, insider threat assessments, cyber-physical reviews, and leadership liability consulting for Hawaiʻi schools, hospitals, and corporations.

📧 Contact: crisiswire@proton.me

#CrisisWire #HawaiiSecurity #ThreatAssessment #AnnualReport #SchoolSafety #CorporateSecurity #AccessControl #InsiderThreat #CyberPhysical #LeadershipLiability

FAQ

Q1: Why publish a threat assessment report every year? Because threats evolve. Annual reviews keep institutions updated and accountable.

Q2: What makes Hawaiʻi’s risk profile unique? Geography, tourism, and cultural openness make access control and insider threats particularly complex.

Q3: How should leaders use this report? As a checklist for 2026 planning, training, and documentation.

Q4: Is this report just for large institutions? No. SMBs in Hawaiʻi face the same threats — often with fewer resources to absorb failure.