Complete DHS Report for February 5, 2015
Daily Report
Top Stories
· McGraw Hill Financial Inc., will pay $1.5 billion in a
settlement reached February 2 to resolve a collection of lawsuits over the
company’s ratings on mortgage securities that soured leading up to the 2008
financial crisis. – Reuters See item 6
below in the Financial Services Sector
· The National
Transportation Safety Board is investigating an accident on the Metro-North
Railroad’s Harlem Line in Westchester, New York, February 3 that killed 6
people and injured 15 others. – Time Warner Cable News NY1 New York City
7. February
4, Time Warner Cable News NY1 New York City – (New York) Metro-North
accident kills 6, injures 15 on Harlem Line. The National Transportation
Safety Board is investigating a deadly accident on the Harlem Line of the
Metro-North Railroad in Westchester February 3 where a vehicle that was trapped
between rail crossing safety gates was struck by a commuter train, resulting in
a fiery crash that killed 6 people and injured 15 others. Train and bus service
on the Upper Harlem line was partially restored February 4 and will run in
limited capacity until further notice as authorities investigate and clear the
scene. Source: http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2015/02/4/deadly-metro-north-accident-on-harlem-line.html
· A silo filled with
peanuts exploded February 3 following a fire at a GFA Peanut Company plant in
Cordele, Georgia, causing at least $750,000 in damage to peanuts and equipment.
– WALB 10 Albany
11. February 3, WALB 10 Albany –
(Georgia) Cordele peanut fire continues to smolder. Firefighters
remained at the scene after a silo filled with several hundred tons of peanuts
exploded February 3 at a GFA Peanut Company plant in Cordele following a fire
that started February 2 and is believed to have been sparked by a chemical
sprayed onto the nuts. At least $750,000 worth of peanuts and equipment was destroyed
by the incident that remains under investigation. Source: http://www.walb.com/story/28006971/multiple-fire-crews-fight-peanut-fire
· Researchers
discovered two malicious applications which utilize Apple’s iOS operating
system connected to Operation Pawn Storm, a cyber espionage campaign targeting
personal information, geolocation data, and other information from personnel in
Western military, government, defense industry firms, and the media. – Dark
Reading See
item 20 below in the Information Technology Sector
Financial Services Sector
6. February 3, Reuters –
(National) S&P reaches $1.5 billion deal with U.S., states over
crisis-era ratings. Credit rating firm Standard & Poor’s parent company
McGraw Hill Financial Inc., will pay $687.5 million to the U.S. Department of
Justice and $687.5 million to 19 U.S. States and the District of Columbia and
will pay the California Public Employees’ Retirement System $125 million in a
settlement reached February 2 to resolve a collection of lawsuits over the
company’s ratings on mortgage securities that soured leading up to the 2008
financial crisis. Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/03/us-s-p-settlement-idUSKBN0L71C120150203
Information Technology Sector
20. February 4, Dark
Reading – (International) Apple iOS now targeted in massive cyber
espionage campaign. Trend Micro researchers discovered two malicious
applications which utilize Apple’s iOS operating system connected to Operation
Pawn Storm, a cyber espionage campaign targeting personal information, text
messages, contact lists, voice recordings, pictures, lists of installed apps
and processes, and geolocation data from personnel in Western military,
government, defense industry firms, and the media. Source: http://www.darkreading.com/mobile/apple-ios-now-targeted-in-massive-cyber-espionage-campaign/d/d-id/1318946
21. February 3, PCWorld –
(International) Dangerous Internet Explorer vulnerability opens door to
powerful phishing attacks. Microsoft reported that it is working on a
security update to address an Internet Explorer universal cross-site scripting
(XSS) vulnerability discovered by a Deusen researcher that could allow
attackers to bypass the Same-Origin Policy to launch phishing attacks or hijack
users’ accounts on any Web site. Source: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2879372/dangerous-ie-vulnerability-opens-door-to-powerful-phishing-attacks.html
Communications Sector
Nothing to report