Complete DHS Daily Report for December 16, 2013
Daily Report
• Bank of America agreed to pay $131.8 million
in penalties to settle U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charges that the
company’s Merrill Lynch division misled investors in the sale of collateralized
debt obligations. – New York Times See item 3 below in the Financial Services Sector
• A report from Praetorian analyzed 275 mobile
banking apps and found that 80 percent contained configuration and design
weaknesses that could compromise security. – Dark Reading See item 4
below in the Financial Services Sector
• The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services approved the development of the Louisiana International Gulf Transfer
Terminal Regional Center, opening up a new supply chain that will reach 32
States and Canada. – Fort Mill Times
10.
December 12, Fort Mill Times – (International) U.S. government
approves Louisiana International Gulf Transfer Terminal Regional Center. The
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approved the development of the
Louisiana International Gulf Transfer Terminal Regional Center, opening up a
new supply chain through the Mississippi River and its tributaries that will
reach 32 States and Canada. Source: http://www.fortmilltimes.com/2013/12/12/3162499/us-government-approves-louisiana.html
• A Minnesota National Guardsman was charged
in connection with stealing personal information of about 400 members of a
former Army unit in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, intended for use to create fake
IDs for a militia. – Associated Press
22.
December 12, Associated Press – (North Carolina; Minnesota) Guardsman
accused of stealing military IDs for militia. A Minnesota National
Guardsman was charged in connection with stealing personal information,
including Social Security numbers and security clearance levels, of about 400
members of a former Army unit in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, intended for use
to create fake IDs for a militia. An FBI investigation uncovered the
Guardsman’s theft of confidential information. Source: http://news.msn.com/crime-justice/guardsman-accused-of-stealing-military-ids-for-militia
Details
Financial Services Sector
3. December 12,
New York Times – (National) Bank of America to pay $131.8 million
penalty in mortgage deals. Bank of America agreed December 12 to settle
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charges that the company’s Merrill
Lynch division misled investors in the sale of collateralized debt obligations,
and agreed to pay $131.8 million in penalties. Source: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/12/12/bank-of-america-to-pay-131-8-million-penalty-in-c-d-o-deals/
4. December 12,
Dark Reading – (International) Weak security in most mobile banking
apps. A report from Praetorian analyzed 275 Apple iOS and Android mobile
banking apps and found that 80 percent contained configuration and design
weaknesses that could compromise security. Source: http://www.darkreading.com/vulnerability/weak-security-in-most-mobile-banking-app/240164731
5. December 12,
Chicago Tribune – (Illinois) $5,000 reward for information about ‘Hooded
Bandit.’ The FBI offered a reward for information on a suspect known as the
“Hooded Bandit” believed to be responsible for at least four bank robberies in
Chicago’s northwest suburbs. The suspect’s most recent robbery occurred December
9 at a Chase Bank branch in Bensenville. Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-fbi-looks-to-identify-hooded-bandit-20131212,0,4630951.story
6. December 11,
WXIN 59 Indianapolis – (Indiana) Major counterfeiting operation busted
on Indy’s east side. Police and U.S. Secret Service agents raided a home in
Indianapolis and discovered hundreds of thousands of counterfeit bills as well
as computers and printing equipment. Three people were arrested in connection
with the alleged operation. Source: http://fox59.com/2013/12/11/major-counterfeiting-operation-busted-on-indys-east-side/
Information Technology Sector
25.
December 13, Help Net Security – (International) Cryptolocker copycat
targets US, European users. Researchers at IntelCrawler analyzed a new
piece of ransomware dubbed Locker that encrypts targets’ files and demands a
ransom to decrypt them. The ransomware is spread by executable files disguised
as mp3 files. Source: http://www.net-security.org/malware_news.php?id=2651
26.
December 13, Softpedia – (International) Serious vulnerability in
Safari exposes user passwords. Researchers at Kaspersky discovered a
security issue in some versions of Apple’s Safari browser that stores passwords
in plain text in a hidden folder utilized for the browser’s session restore
function. Source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Serious-Vulnerability-in-Safari-Exposes-User-Passwords-408935.shtml
27.
December 13, Softpedia – (International) Hacker tool allows
cybercriminals to automatically register Tumblr accounts. A researcher at
Webroot identified a commercially available tool that can be used by
cybercriminals to automatically register Tumblr accounts for use in phishing
and other campaigns. Source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Hacker-Tool-Allows-Cybercriminals-to-Automatically-Register-Tumblr-Accounts-408889.shtml
For
another story, see item 4 above
in the Financial Services Sector
Communications Sector
28.
December 13, WYMT 57 Hazard – (Kentucky) Copper theft knocks WSGS-FM off
the air. WSGS 101.1 FM in Hazard, Kentucky, was knocked off air December 10
and December 11 due to damage caused by copper thefts. The thefts also
interrupted Internet and broadcast service for at least three other radio
stations in the area. Source: http://www.wkyt.com/wymt/home/headlines/Copper-theft-knocks-WSGS-FM-off-the-air-235686621.html