Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Daily Report
Top Stories
• A Spirit Airlines flight from Los Angeles to
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was delayed for 11 hours after it made an emergency
landing in Houston when the pilot determined a disruptive passenger was a
safety threat. – Houston Chronicle
15.
July 9, Houston Chronicle – (Texas) Spirit
passengers stuck for hours after being diverted to IAH. A Spirit Airlines
flight from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, made an emergency landing
at Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport early July 8 after a passenger
became “disruptive” and the pilot decided to land “for the safety of all on
board,” an airline spokeswoman said. The plane, carrying more than 100
passengers, left Los Angeles July 7. “It had escalated to the point that for
the safety of all on board the captain felt that he needed to divert,” the
spokeswoman said. Passengers said that they spent more than 1 hour on the
tarmac and about 10 hours in the terminal. Source: http://blog.chron.com/newswatch/2012/07/jet-makes-emergency-landing-at-bush-airport/
• July 7, flash floods caused mudslides,
closed many major roads, and submerged basements across Larimer County,
Colorado. – Fort Collins Coloradoan
17.
July 8, Fort Collins Coloradoan –
(Colorado) Rain, flooding causes weekend road closures. July 7, flash
floods caused mudslides and submerged basements across Larimer County,
Colorado, as heavy afternoon rains pummeled areas that were bone-dry a few days
earlier. U.S. Highway 34 west of Loveland to Drake was closed and still had not
re-opened 4 hours later as crews worked to clear roads of rock and mudslides along
the Big Thompson River. Farther south, Interstate 25 was closed at Dacono in
both directions for most of the evening. There was a 30 percent chance of
storms with a risk of flash floods especially in burned and previously-soaked
areas by July 9. Residents along Colorado 14 between Mishawaka and Gateway Park
continue to be under pre-evacuation notice because of concerns associated with
flooding. Source: http://www.coloradoan.com/viewart/20120707/NEWS01/307070012/Rain-flooding-causes-road-closures?odyssey=mod|mostview
• Buona Vita, Inc., a Bridgeton, New Jersey
establishment, recalled approximately 324,770 pounds of various frozen,
ready-to-eat meat and poultry products due to possible contamination with
Listeria monocytogenes. – U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and
Inspection Service
22. July 7,
U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service –
(National) New Jersey firm recalls various frozen, ready-to-eat meat and
poultry products due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination. Buona
Vita, Inc., a Bridgeton, New Jersey establishment, recalled approximately
324,770 pounds of various frozen, ready-to-eat meat and poultry products due to
possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced July 7. The
products were sold to distribution facilities nationwide. The problem was
discovered through microbiological testing by the FSIS and the Ohio Department
of Agriculture. Source: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_042_2012_Release/index.asp
• Over the course of 48 hours, two separate
explosive devices were found at two different schools in Kent, Washington, with
one blowing up and causing significant damage. – KCPQ 13 Seattle
36. July 6,
KCPQ 13 Seattle – (Washington) Explosives found at 2 Kent schools, 1 school
damaged by blast. Over the course of 48 hours, two separate explosive
devices were found at two different schools in Kent, Washington, KCPQ 13 Seattle
reported July 6. The first device detonated and blew a hole in the wall of Lake
Youngs Elementary School. The explosion sent rubble from the wall about 100
feet from where the device was detonated. Kent fire officials said someone
broke a window at the school and climbed inside, then set off the explosive.
“It actually blew a very large hole about 6 feet high and 2 feet wide in a
masonry wall,” said a Kent Fire Department official. “Somebody could have been
seriously hurt in that one.” He said the device could have been a high-powered
commercial firework or a powerful “improvised explosive device.” Investigators
with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are helping in the
investigation. The second incident happened July 5 at Glenridge Elementary
School where an unexploded “sparkler bomb” was found by a police officer in the
parking lot. Fire investigators confirmed the device was dangerous and if it
had detonated, it could have injured someone. Source: http://www.q13fox.com/news/kcpq-explosives-found-at-2-kent-schools-1-school-damaged-by-blast-20120706,0,6495446.story
• The demise of the only company that
manufactured a device specially designed to spray fire retardant from the back
of U.S. military C-130 cargo planes has some experts worried about the future
viability of a program that has helped fight wildfires for 40 years. – Associated
Press
37.
July 7, Associated Press – (National) No
parts available for C-130 wildfire tankers. The demise of the only company
that manufactured a device specially designed to spray fire retardant from the
back of U.S. military C-130 cargo planes has some experts worried about the
future viability of a program that has helped fight wildfires for 40 years, the
Associated Press reported July 7. The Modular Airborne Firefighting System is a
bus-sized device that can be shoved into the belly of a cargo plane and used to
spray retardant, or slurry, at 3,000 gallons in less than 5 seconds. The $4.9
million device’s only manufacturer, Sacramento, California-based Aero Union,
went out of business in August 2011, and no other company has replaced it.
Critical spare parts also are no longer being made. The MAFFS C-130s are
operated by three National Guard units and one Air Force Reserve unit in
Wyoming, Colorado, North Carolina, and California. Wyoming’s MAFFS have been
deployed as far away as Indonesia. In 2011, MAFFS C-130s flew to wildfires in
Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oregon, and Mexico. Source: http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2012/07/ap-air-force-no-parts-for-c-130-wildfire-tankers-070712/
• Authorities in Prince William County,
Virginia, said a propane grill in an apartment is to blame for a fire that
destroyed two buildings and displaced nearly 100 residents. – Associated
Press
52.
July 8, Associated Press – (Virginia) Grill
blamed for Woodbridge apartment fire. Authorities in Prince William County,
Virginia, said a propane grill in an apartment is to blame for displacing
nearly 100 residents in a four-alarm fire, the Associated Press reported July
8. A fire department spokeswoman said the grill in a third-floor apartment
triggered the July 5 blaze. The fire was ruled accidental. No residents were
seriously injured. However, three firefighters were taken to the hospital for
injuries. Authorities said the fire spread to an adjoining building. The
buildings were condemned, leaving nearly 100 residents displaced. Officials
said 25 residential units were damaged. Source: http://www.wtop.com/120/2403820/Grill-blamed-for-Woodbridge-apartment-fire
Details
Banking and Finance Sector
10. July 9,
New York Post – (New York) Bandit dressed as postal worker pulls off 2 Queens
bank heists in 10 minutes. A bandit knocked off 2 banks in 10 minutes July
9 in the Queens borough of New York City, authorities said. A man dressed in a
postal uniform went into a Capital One bank and passed a demand note to the
teller. He then flashed a gun he had tucked into his waistband, police said.
The teller gave him an unknown amount of cash and the man fled. He turned up 10
minutes later at another Capital One branch — a mere mile and a half from his
first heist — and passed another demand note. The teller again handed over cash
and the man fled the scene. Source: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/queens/bandit_pulls_off_queens_bank_heists_Daza8H1bBkxSmkTy32JyjI
11. July 7,
Walnut Patch – (California) Area residents arrested, linked to fake credit
card crew. Authorities in San Diego’s North County arrested six individuals
in connection with an active credit card counterfeit crew July 7. All were
arrested on suspicion of multiple counts of commercial burglary and charges
related to theft with an access card, and possession of forged credit cards.
Deputies discovered their involvement in what was described as a very active
crew of counterfeiters, who allegedly manufacture fraudulent and fake credit
cards and use stolen, or compromised credit card information to take out large
cash advances from San Diego area casinos. Authorities also accused the
suspects of employing an elaborate scam involving ATM cash advance machines and
the casino cashier. The crew was reportedly very active the past 2 months at
area casinos, allegedly conducting multiple fraudulent transactions at those
locations. Source: http://walnut.patch.com/articles/area-residents-arrested-linked-to-fake-credit-card-crew
12. July 7,
Norfolk Virginian-Pilot – (Virginia) Developer to plead guilty in
tax credit fraud case. A real estate developer agreed to plead guilty to
federal charges of defrauding the historic tax credit program, according to a
document filed July 6 in U.S. District Court in Norfolk, Virginia. The
developer’s partner previously pleaded guilty. Together, both men will play a
central role in the ongoing investigation into the collapse of the Bank of the
Commonwealth, where they owed $41 million in loans at the time the bank failed
in September 2011. The developer was accused of bilking $11 million from the
State and federal historic tax credit programs, which provide financial
incentives to redevelop historic buildings. Federal authorities spent years
investigating alleged fraudulent activity involving former officers and
directors of the Bank of the Commonwealth. The developer and his partner became
involved in the case as authorities reviewed the loans they received from the
bank. Source: http://hamptonroads.com/2012/07/developer-plead-guilty-tax-credit-fraud-case
13. July 6,
New Haven Register – (Connecticut) Defendant pleads guilty to role in $10 million
New Haven mortgage scam. The U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut
July 6 announced that a real estate agent pleaded guilty to one count of
conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and bank fraud. From about October
2006 to November 2008, the agent and others conspired to defraud financial
institutions by obtaining more than $10 million in fraudulent mortgages for the
purchase of more than 40 properties in New Haven, Connecticut. The agent
identified most of the properties and negotiated with sellers over the sale
price. As part of the scheme, sellers agreed to accept a sale price
significantly lower than the contract price. The lower price was not disclosed
to lenders from which the buyers obtained financing to purchase the properties.
The agent and his co-conspirators then submitted falsified paperwork to obtain
the loans. They used the fraudulently obtained proceeds to pay themselves and
others. Many of the houses purchased as part of this conspiracy went into
default and have been foreclosed upon, causing losses of more than $7 million
to lenders. Source: http://nhregister.com/articles/2012/07/06/news/doc4ff727ab77eb3031799127.txt?viewmode=fullstory
14. July 6,
Chicago Sun-Times Media Wire – (Illinois; Wisconsin) 2
Chicago men plead guilty to ATM ‘skimming’. Two Chicago men pleaded guilty
to rigging ATM machines in Illinois and Wisconsin to skim customers’ bank
accounts and PINs, costing Chase Bank more than $100,000, the Chicago Sun-Times
Media Wire reported July 6. One pleaded guilty to continuing a financial crimes
enterprise, and the other pleaded guilty to identity theft. Prosecutors said
the two placed electronic devices on ATMs belonging to Chase Bank branches in
Cook County, Illinois, and southeastern Wisconsin, allowing them to obtain the
financial information of nearly 500 people and gain access to millions of
dollars in bank accounts. Source: http://www.suntimes.com/news/crime/13625037-418/2-chicago-men-plead-guilty-to-atm-skimming.html
Information Technology Sector
41. July 9,
Infosecurity – (International) New Android trojan infects 100,000 in China. A
new Android trojan that provides a variation on covert premium calls was
located in China: it secretly buys applications via China Mobile’s Android
Market. The cost is automatically added to the user’s phone bill. Security firm
TrustGo Mobile discovered the malware the week of July 2, and called it
Trojan!MMarketPay.A@Android. The malware was found in 9 China app markets and
has already infected more than 100,000 Android devices. TrustGo warns the
trojan may be delivered as a repackaged app, such as cn.itkt.travelskygo or
com.funinhand.weibo. Currently, TrustGo concludes “this sophisticated new
malware could cause unexpected high phone bills.” The same methodology could
also be used to download and install “free” spyware or spyware-infected apps
that might have been planted in the Market. Source: http://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/view/26859/
42. July 7,
CSO – (International) Olympic officials brace for hackers
competition. Since 2008, U.K. officials said the country was expecting an
unprecedented level of attacks during the 2-plus weeks of the 2012 Summer
Olympics. The CTO of Cigital said he thought the worst that could happen was
hacktivism. However, there are also bigger threats, a retired military
intelligence officer and information operations expert and consultant said.
“There are a ton of other things, such as schedules, transportation systems,
water, physical security, telephones — you name it — all automated and
networked. Those would be great targets and shutting down all the water would
shut down the Olympics.” The competition between the white and black hats is
expected to be fierce. Atos, the lead technology company for the summer and
winter Games since 2002, will be in charge of about 11,500 computers and
servers across the United Kingdom. Atos has done more than 200,000 hours of
testing, including mounting simulated attacks, according to the company’s
executive vice president. Source: http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/258852/olympic_officials_brace_for_hackers_competition.html
43. July 6,
PC Magazine – (International) Android botnet? No, a much simpler flaw in
Yahoo! Mail’s app. Lookout discovered that Yahoo! Mail’s Android
application — the center of a potential “Android botnet” investigation — does
not encrypt user data in transit, and issued a warning that hackers could
easily hijack a user’s account. Although users can enable encryption in the
app’s settings, by default the app does not secure data in transmission.
Unaware users could find their entire accounts hijacked when connected to an
insecure WiFi network, in the same vein as the Firesheep attack in 2010. “Given
this security oversight, we believe that a very plausible explanation for the
SMS spam botnet reported recently involves session hijacking,” Lookout’s CTO said.
Yahoo! sent PC Magazine the following statement: “While our investigation into
claims of a potential malware compromise operating as a botnet is ongoing, we
can confirm that there is not a problem with our official Yahoo! Mail app for
Android and there is no reason for users to uninstall the app.” Source: http://securitywatch.pcmag.com/none/300005-android-botnet-no-a-much-simpler-flaw-in-yahoo-mail-s-app
44. July 6,
SC Magazine – (National) D-Day for DNSChanger internet cutoff arrives
Monday. More than 60,000 computers in the United States were expected to
lose Internet access beginning July 9 unless they were able to remove a piece
of malware in time, according to the FBI. It is the crucial moment for users
that control machines infected by the DNSChanger trojan, which is capable of
modifying DNS settings to send users to sites of the attacker’s choosing. The
trojan also can disable anti-virus and other security software. While the
number of poisoned PCs remains relatively high, the vice president of research
at security firm Damballa told SC Magazine July 6 that most of those endpoints
likely are not actively used to browse the Web and are instead employed by
businesses to run “automated activities.” There is also a chance some of the
infections are on modems and routers, but not computers. Source: http://www.scmagazine.com/d-day-for-dnschanger-internet-cutoff-arrives-monday/article/249119/
45. July 6,
ZDNet – (International) Warning: Fake Skype app on Android is
malware. Cybercriminals created a fake version of the Skype for Android
application, designed to earn money from unsuspecting users. Trend Micro, which
first discovered the malware, is calling this particular threat
JAVA_SMSSEND.AB. The app only runs on older (pre Software Installation Script) Symbian
phones or Android devices that allow execution of Java MIDlet. The
cybercriminals behind this scheme set up fake Web sites advertising fake Skype
apps. Most of the sites are hosted on Russian domains (.ru) but the fake apps
themselves are hosted on Nigerien domains (.ne). Source: http://www.zdnet.com/warning-fake-skype-app-on-android-is-malware-7000000418/
Communications Sector
46.
July 6, Multichannel News –
(Lousiania) FCC fines cable operator $30,000 for illegal retransmission. The
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) fined Bailey Cable TV $30,000 for two
separate retrans violations during a retrans impasse in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
during which the operator continued to carry the station signals after its
contract ran out and the stations had asked it to take down the signals,
Multichannel News reported July 6. Bailey did not dispute it had retransmitted
the signals of WGMB-TV (Knight Broadcasting) and WVLA-TV (Communications Corp.
of America), both in Baton Rouge without the station owners’ permission,
according to the FCC, but Bailey argued it should be one violation, not two.
According to the FCC, after Bailey could not come to new terms on
retransmission-consent agreements that expired December 31, 2011, it kept
carrying the signals without a contract because it felt the broadcasters were
using the commission to try to engineer a dramatic increase in rates and the
FCC should instead require the stations to negotiate a fair rate. Source: http://www.multichannel.com/article/486820-FCC_Fines_Cable_Operator_30_000_for_Illegal_Retransmission.php
For
more stories, see items 41, 42, 43,
and 45 above in the Information Technology Sector
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