Monday, January 26, 2015



Complete DHS Report for January 26, 2015

Daily Report

Top Stories

 · Metro officials announced January 22 that a series of steps will be updated in its operating procedures after an arcing electrical fire January 12 at a stop in Washington, D.C. killed 1 woman and sent more than 80 other passengers to local hospitals for smoke inhalation. – WUSA 9 Washington, D.C

5. January 22, WUSA 9 Washington, D.C. – (Washington D.C.) Metro announces changes after smoke incident. Metro officials announced January 22 that a series of steps will be updated in its operating procedures to address problems that occurred after an arcing electrical fire January 12 at a stop in Washington, D.C. that killed 1 woman and sent more than 80 other passengers to local hospitals for smoke inhalation. Train conductors are now instructed to shut off the ventilation system when a train stops for smoke rather than having to call the subway system’s control center for permission. Source: http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/local/2015/01/22/metro-board-meeting-changes-lenfant-smoke/22156125/

 · Due to warning-level surf along west-facing shores of the Big Island, Hawaii, more than a dozen West Hawaii beaches and State parks were closed January 22. – West Hawaii Today

14. January 22, West Hawaii Today – (Hawaii) 13 West Hawaii beaches closed amid high surf. Due to warning-level surf along west-facing shores of the Big Island more than a dozen West Hawaii beaches and State parks were closed January 22. A high surf warning posted for west-facing shores was extended through January 24 by the National Weather Service, potentially impacted the length of closures. Source: http://westhawaiitoday.com/community-bulletin/13-west-hawaii-beaches-closed-amid-high-surf

 · Virginia Mason Medical Center officials in Seattle, Washington, stated that they overhauled their cleaning protocol for medical scopes after an outbreak of drug-resistant superbugs spread by contaminated specialized endoscopes infected at least 32 patients between 2012 and 2014. – Seattle Times

16. January 22, Seattle Times – (Washington) Undisclosed superbug sickened dozens at Virginia Mason. Virginia Mason Medical Center officials in Seattle stated that they overhauled their cleaning protocol for medical scopes after an outbreak of drug-resistant superbugs spread by contaminated specialized endoscopes infected at least 32 patients between 2012 and 2014. Authorities believe the bacterium was likely transferred from patient to patient after the devices were cleaned, but still harbored the germs. Source: http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2025515506_endoscopeoutbreakxml.html

 · A woman who operated several pain clinics in Chattanooga, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to prescribing narcotics to patients with little or no documentation, generating more than $4 million over several months. – Chattanooga Times Free Press

17. January 22, Chattanooga Times Free Press – (Tennessee) Jury convicts Chattanooga pill mill operator ‘Aunt Bea’. A jury convicted a woman who operated several pain clinics in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and prescribed narcotics to patients with little or no documentation, generating more than $4 million over several months. Three other individuals were charged in the scheme and pleaded guilty. Source: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2015/jan/22/jury-convicts-chattanooga-pill-mill-operator-aunt-bea/284078/

Financial Services Sector

3. January 22, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission – (International) SEC charges former executive at Tampa-based engineering firm with FCPA violations. Tampa-based PBSJ Corp., also known as The Atkins North America Holdings Corp., agreed to pay a $3.4 million fine, among additional agreements, January 22 in a settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to settle allegations of offering bribes and employment to foreign officials to obtain Qatari government contracts, violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Source: http://www.sec.gov/news/pressrelease/2015-13.html

For another story, see item 20 below from the Government Facilities Sector

20. January 22, WJLA 7 Washington, D.C. – (Pennsylvania) Consumer Alert: Stolen identities used by thieves in student loan scheme. A Pennsylvania couple pleaded guilty in connection to a student loan scheme that defrauded the U.S. Department of Education out of more than $270,000 and compromised the identities of over 200 people. The couple filed false financial applications with online universities using victim’s personal identifiers in order to obtain the funds themselves. Source: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/01/consumer-alert-stolen-identities-used-by-thieves-in-student-loan-scheme-110804.html

Information Technology Sector

22. January 23, Softpedia – (International) Remote code execution flaw found in iPass Open Mobile Windows Client. A security researcher at Code White GmbH reported vulnerability in the iPass Open Mobile Windows Client that could allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code by sending a specially-crafted unicode string to a subprocess with SYSTEM privileges. The developers released a patch to address the flaw in the iPass network that includes free and open access hotspots, certain hotel and convention venues, and provides Internet access to trains with WiFi support as well as in-flight WiFi in airplanes. Source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Remote-Code-Execution-Flaw-Found-in-iPass-Open-Mobile-Windows-Client-471054.shtml

23. January 23, Securityweek – (International) Three OS X vulnerabilities disclosed by Google. Google released a report containing details and proof-of-concept code for three vulnerabilities, including a code execution vulnerability, memory corruption bug, and a sandbox escapes, affecting Apple’s OS X operating system reported on October 20, October 21, and October 23. Source: http://www.securityweek.com/three-os-x-vulnerabilities-disclosed-google

24. January 23, Softpedia – (International) “Friendlier” Critroni ransomware variants spotted in the wild. Security researchers at Trend Micro discovered new strains of Critroni ransomware (CTB-Locker) in January that allows a grace period of 96 hours, the opportunity to decrypt five files, and an increase in the ransom amount. Source: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Friendlier-Critroni-Ransomware-Variants-Spotted-in-the-Wild-471035.shtml

Communications Sector

25. January 23, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – (Pennsylvania) Apartments, businesses damaged, but no injuries reported in six-alarm Homestead fire. Authorities are investigating a 6-alarm fire January 23 that destroyed multiple apartments and damaged several businesses housed in at least 5 structures in Homestead, including 3 buildings that were rendered total losses. Crews cut power to about 700 businesses and homes as a safety precaution, and authorities estimated the value of the commercial buildings at $500,000 with replace cost at $1 million. Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/south/2015/01/23/Firefighters-battle-5-alarm-fire-at-Homestead-apartments/stories/201501230146

26. January 22, Salem News – (Massachusetts) About 80 homes run dry after break in water main. At least 3 businesses in Danvers, including the New England Homes for the Deaf, which has a skilled nursing home and independent living facility, were without water for about 9 hours January 22 after a 12-inch water main ruptured in an area where a bridge is under reconstruction. Crews worked to restore service using an underground connection to a neighboring water system, and began work to permanently relocate the water main, which was previously scheduled to take place during the week of January 26. Source: http://www.salemnews.com/news/local_news/about-homes-run-dry-after-break-in-water-main/article_c8b5b717-1711-5c93-ab87-616db285bff5.html

27. January 22, Associated Press – (New Jersey) Apartment complex fire accidentally caused by workers. Authorities reported January 22 that crews performing plumbing work accidentally ignited a fire inside a wall at the Avalon at Edgewater apartment complex in New Jersey January 21, resulting in more than 400 destroyed or damaged units and more than 1,000 displaced residents. Officials confirmed the building was in compliance with construction and fire codes, and suggested that lightweight wooden building materials fueled the blaze. Source: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/fire-ravaged-jersey-apartment-complex-continues-burn-28399847