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
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