Complete DHS Report for November 10, 2014
Daily Report
Top Stories
· Three subsidiaries of Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan
agreed to pay a $1.3 million civil penalty to resolve allegations that the
companies violated the Clean Air Act when they modified eight U.S. fertilizer
production facilities in ways that released excess sulfur dioxide. – U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
9. November 6, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency –
(Florida; North Carolina; Louisiana) Three subsidiaries of the world’s
largest fertilizer producer to reduce harmful air emissions at eight production
plants. Three subsidiaries of Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PCS)
agreed to pay a $1.3 million civil penalty to resolve allegations brought forth
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice
that the companies violated the Clean Air Act when they modified eight U.S.
fertilizer production facilities in ways that released excess sulfur dioxide.
The companies will also spend an estimated $50 million to reduce air emissions
at production plants in White Springs, Florida; Aurora, North Carolina; and
Geismar, Louisiana. Source: http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/596e17d7cac720848525781f0043629e/4e642eb4c6e0535f85257d880049c0f8
· Authorities charged a
man who operated pain clinics in south Florida and Georgia, and a
co-conspirator, for allegedly taking part in a scheme to distribute over 1
million prescription pain pills in southeastern Kentucky. – Lexington
Herald-Leader
15. November 6, Lexington Herald-Leader –
(Kentucky; Florida; Georgia) Court records: Pain clinic operator distributed
more than 1 million pills in southeastern Kentucky. Authorities charged a
man who operated pain clinics in south Florida and Georgia, and a
co-conspirator, for allegedly taking part in a scheme to distribute over 1
million prescription pain pills in southeastern Kentucky, amassing $15 million
from June 2008 to May 2014. The pair was allegedly part of the plot which
involved individuals from Kentucky visiting clinics in Florida and Georgia to
get prescriptions without undergoing real examinations. Source: http://www.kentucky.com/2014/11/06/3525239_court-records-pain-clinic-operator.html
· U.S. and European law enforcement agencies undertook joint
action against several underweb marketplaces resulting in 17 arrests and the
takedown of over 410 hidden services. – Help Net Security See item 29 below in the Information Technology Sector
· Home Depot officials
disclosed November 6 that an investigation into a previous breach of the
company’s payment data systems revealed that 53 million email addresses of
customers in the U.S. and Canada were also compromised. – Help Net Security
35. November 7, Help Net Security – (International)
53M customer email addresses were also stolen in Home Depot breach. Home
Depot officials disclosed November 6 that an investigation into a previously
reported breach of the company’s payment data systems revealed that 53 million
email addresses of customers in the U.S. and Canada were also compromised
during the attack and officials urged consumers to be on guard against phishing
scams. The company also reported that hackers used the stolen credentials of a
third-party vendor to access the company’s point-of-sale (PoS) devices, then
acquired administrator rights that enabled them to deploy custom-built malware
on self-checkout systems at the company’s stores in the U.S. and Canada.
Source: http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=17606
Financial Services Sector
6. November
6, U-T San Diego – (California) Bearded Bandit has new beardless
look. The FBI stated that a suspect known as the Bearded Bandit is
suspected in the November 6 robbery of a Chase Bank branch in Vista, the third
bank robbery in the San Diego area linked to the suspect. The suspect acquired
the Bearded Bandit moniker in previous robberies but appeared in images of the
November 6 robbery without a beard. Source: http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/nov/06/bearded-bandit-robbery-bank-fbi/
For additional stories, see item 29 below in the Information Technology Sector and item 35 above
in Top Stories
Information Technology Sector
26. November
7, The Register – (International) Belkin flings out patch after Metasploit
module turns guests to admins. Belkin recently released a patch for its
N750 dual-band router to close a vulnerability demonstrated in a Metasploit
module that could allow attackers on guest networks to gain root access. Users
were advised to update their firmware to close the vulnerability. Source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/11/07/belkin_flings_patch_after_metasploit_module_turns_guests_to_admins/
27. November
7, Help Net Security – (International) WireLurker: Apple blocks Trojanized apps,
revokes certificate. Apple stated that it blocked apps identified as
containing the WireLurker malware for OS X and iOS and revoked the certificate
used to sign the malware. Source: http://www.net-security.org/malware_news.php?id=2911
28. November
7, Securityweek – (International) Metasploit module released for new UXSS
vulnerability in Android browser. An independent researcher in coordination
with Rapid7 identified and reported a universal cross-site scripting (UXSS)
vulnerability in the default Android browser that could allow an attacker to
scrape page contents and cookie data. A Metasploit module for the vulnerability
was released, and although Google fixed the issue September 30 many Android
users may not receive the fix due to lack of Android version updates. Source: http://www.securityweek.com/metasploit-module-released-new-uxss-vulnerability-android-browser
29. November
7, Help Net Security – (International) After Silk Road 2, global law enforcement
seizes other dark markets. U.S. and European law enforcement agencies
undertook joint action against several other underweb marketplaces following
actions against the Silk Road 2.0 marketplace, resulting in 17 arrests and the
takedown of over 410 hidden services. Authorities also seized around $1 million
in cash, illegal drugs, and precious metals. Source: http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=17605
30. November
6, Softpedia – (International) Cisco patches three out of four buggy small
business RV series routers. Cisco posted an advisory November 5 stating
that three vulnerabilities in four routers intended for small business use
could allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands and upload files to the
devices. The company issued patches for the RV120W Wireless-N VPN Firewall,
RV180 VPN Router, and RV 180W Wireless-N Multifunction VPN Router, while a
patch for the RV220W Wireless Network Security Firewall is expected by the end
of November. Source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Cisco-Patches-Three-Out-Of-Four-Small-Business-RV-Series-Routers-464341.shtml
For
additional stories, see item 32 below in
the Communications Sector and
item 35 above in Top Stories
Communications Sector
31. November 6, Philadelphia
Inquirer – (National) Multistate Comcast outage darkens TV
screens for Xfinity subscribers. Comcast apologized to users of its X1
set-top boxes November 6 after some users experienced an outage due to a
software update. Source: http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20141107_Multistate_Comcast_outage_darkens_TV_screens_for_Xfinity_subscribers.html
32. November 5, Lafayette
Daily Advertiser – (Louisiana) LUS Fiber victim of Internet
attack. The director of Lafayette Utilities System (LUS Fiber) stated that
disruptions to customers’ Internet access November 4 and November 5 in
Lafayette were the result of an attacker intentionally overwhelming the system.
LUS Fiber had also experienced an unrelated email server malfunction the week
of October 27 that left customers without email service for several days.
Source: http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2014/11/05/lus-fiber-victim-internet-attack/18547439/