Complete DHS Report for February 25, 2016
Daily Report
Top Stories
• At least 3 people were killed and over 30 others were injured
when several tornadoes moved through southern Louisiana and Mississippi
February 23, destroying dozens of homes and businesses, and knocking down a
water tower. – Reuters
14. February
24, Reuters – (National) Tornado kills three, injures dozens in Louisiana,
Mississippi. At least 3 people were killed and over 30 others were injured
when several tornadoes moved through southern Louisiana and Mississippi
February 23, destroying dozens of homes and businesses, and knocking down a
water tower. Schools and government offices were cancelled or closed early due
to the weather. Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-weather-idUSKCN0VW1R5
• Heavy snowfall in Missouri and Illinois closed over 500 schools
and businesses, cancelled several flights out of Lambert-St. Louis
International Airport, and knocked out power to thousands of customers February
24. – KTVI 2 St. Louis
15. February
24, KTVI 2 St. Louis – (Missouri) Storm causes school closures, power outages,
traffic delays. Over 500 schools and businesses in Missouri and Illinois
were closed February 24 following heavy snowfall that also cancelled several
flights out of Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and knocked out power to
thousands of customers. Source: http://fox2now.com/2016/02/24/storm-causing-school-closures-power-outages-traffic-delays/
• Proofpoint released a report titled, Human Factor 2016 which
stated that cybercriminals were using social engineering as an attack technique
to trick victims into infecting their own computer systems rather than using
automated exploit technology. – SecurityWeek See item 17 below in
the Information Technology Sector
• The Sugar Hill RV Park in Convent, Louisiana sustained extensive
damage February 23 after severe weather conditions overturned several RVs,
injuring more than 37 residents and killing 2 others. – WVUE 8 New Orleans
19. February
23, WVUE 8 New Orleans – (Louisiana) 2 confirmed dead at convent RV
park; rescues ongoing. The Sugar Hill RV Park in Convent, Louisiana
sustained extensive damage February 23 after severe weather conditions
overturned several RVs, injuring more than 37 residents and killing 2 others.
Emergency crews were working to clean the debris and were assisting displaced
residents. Source:
http://www.fox8live.com/story/31296638/convent-rv-park-reduced-to-rubble-rescues-ongoing
Financial Services Sector
4. February
23, Associated Press – (International) Mexican man facing 30 years in prison for
running a $15 million investment on both sides of border. A Mexican businessman
was found guilty February 19 on Federal charges for running a $15 million
investment scheme within Texas and Mexico by forming several unlicensed
advising companies in Texas and promoting himself as an expert of stocks,
bonds, oil and gas, precious metals, and currency. The scheme swindled money
from over 100 investors from August 2010 – 2012. Source: http://www.cbs7.com/content/news/Mexican-Man-Facing-30-Years-In-Prison-for-Running-a-15-Million-Investment-On-Both-Sides-of-Border--369805821.html
Information Technology Sector
16. February
24, SecurityWeek – (International) Exploit for recently patched Silverlight flaw
added to Angler. A security researcher discovered that a previously patched
Microsoft Silverlight exploit was used by Angler developers to add code in its
Angler exploit kit (EK) and deliver a variant of the TeslaCrypt ransomware to
infect victims. Researchers stated the attack was not effective if targets
installed the patched Silverlight version onto their systems.
17. February
23, SecurityWeek – (International) Cybercriminals view people as the best
exploit: report. Proofpoint released a report titled, Proofpoint Human
Factor 2016 which stated that cybercriminals were using social engineering as
an attack technique to trick victims into infecting their own computer systems
rather than using automated exploit technology, and that 98 percent of Universal
Resource Languages (URLs) in malicious email campaigns required human
interaction to infect a system. In addition, the report stated that people
willingly downloaded more than two billion mobile applications designed to
steal user data, create backdoors on compromised devices, and perform other
malicious functions. Source: http://www.securityweek.com/cybercriminals-view-people-best-exploit-report
For another
story, see item 18 below in the Communications
Sector
Communications Sector
18. February
23, U.S. Federal Trade Commission – (International) ASUS settles
FTC charges that insecure home routers and “cloud” services put consumers’ privacy
at risk. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission announced February 23 that
Taiwan-based ASUSTeK Computer, Inc., agreed to settle charges that its routers,
plagued with critical security flaws, put the home networks of hundreds of
thousands of consumers at risk and compromise thousands of consumers’ connected
storage devices via the router’s AiCloud and AiDisk services, which exposed
customers’ personal information on the Internet. The proposed consent order
will require the company to establish and maintain a comprehensive security
program subject to independent audits for 20 years and will require the company
to notify consumers about software updates or other necessary actions to
protect against security flaws. Source: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2016/02/asus-settles-ftc-charges-insecure-home-routers-cloud-services-put