Thursday, February 5, 2015




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