- 1 -

Homeland Security Daily Open Source InfrastructureReport for 28 September 2010

Current Nationwide Threat Level

ELEVATED

Significant Risk of Terrorist Attacks

For information click here httpwwwdhsgov

Top Stories

The Pentagon is refusing to comment on widespread accusations it is responsible for coordinating a cyber-attack with the ldquoStuxnet Wormrdquo against Iranrsquos nuclear facilities assaults Iran only recently confirmed (See items 42 and 50)

As many as 100 homes could be affected by flood waters in Wisconsin due to the failure of a 120-year-old sand levee along the Wisconsin River (See item 68)

Fast Jump Menu

PRODUCTION INDUSTRIES SERVICE INDUSTRIES

bull Energy bull Banking and Finance

bull Chemical bull Transportation

bull Nuclear Reactors Materials and Waste bull Postal and Shipping

bull Critical Manufacturing bull Information Technology

bull Defense Industrial Base bull Communications

bull Dams bull Commercial Facilities

SUSTENANCE and HEALTH FEDERAL and STATE

bull Agriculture and Food bull Government Facilities

bull Water bull Emergency Services

bull Public Health and Healthcare bull National Monuments and Icons

Energy Sector

Current Electricity Sector Threat Alert Levels Physical ELEVATED Cyber ELEVATED Scale LOW GUARDED ELEVATED HIGH SEVERE [Source ISAC for the Electricity Sector (ES-ISAC) - [httpwwwesisaccom]

1 September 26 Bay City News ndash (California) PGampE recommends energy conservation after heat knocks out power for more than 30000 PGampE officials are recommending careful energy conservation September 26 and during the weekrsquos forecasted heat wave after more than 30000 Castro Valley California customers lost power September 25 due to system overload The power outage was reported just before 6 pm and affected up to 33680 customers in Castro Valley and Hayward a PGampE spokesman said He said the cause of the power loss was a heat-related

- 2 -

equipment failure at PGampErsquos Castro Valley Power was fully restored to the area by about 840 pm Source httpwwwinsidebayareacomoaklandtribunelocalnewsci_16180235source=rss

2 September 25 Detroit News ndash (National) Tree crushes man in wind storm outages reported A wicked windstorm September 24 caused the death of a 54-year-old Detroit Michigan man who was crushed by a toppled tree and knocked out power to at least 35000 area residents The man had just left his home on the 1200 block of Virginia Park about 1030 am when a tree fell on him a Detroit police sergeant said By the afternoon of September 24 power was restored to about one third of the customers but 22000 remained without electricity throughout Metro Detroit a DTE Energy spokesman said Southland Mall in Taylor also briefly lost power during the storm with gusts of up to 45 mph Source httpwwwdetnewscomarticle20100925METRO92503461409Tree-crushes-man-in-wind-storm--outages-reported

3 September 25 WWL 4 New Orleans ndash (Louisiana) Gretna man killed in Lafayette explosion A 27-year-old Gretna Louisiana man is dead after an explosion during an oil field equipment test September 24 The explosion happened on Southwood Road in Broussard Louisiana just outside of Lafayette State police said a piece of oil field equipment exploded during a pressure test at a company called Supreme Services Workers were using nitrogen to conduct the test The man was killed when a piece of pipe blew off during the explosion and struck him No chemicals were released in the explosion Source httpwwwwwltvcomnewsGretna-man-killed-in-Lafayette-explosion-103796929html

4 September 24 Freeport Journal-Standard ndash (Illinois) Truck carrying ethanol rolls over on US 20 Portions of US 20 were closed for approximately 12 hours after a truck carrying ethanol rolled over east of the Stephenson County Visitors Center in German Valley Illinois shortly after 3 am September 24 A German Valley Fire Department captain said the one-vehicle accident did not result in any serious injuries However concerns linked to an ethanol leak drew the attention of numerous local agencies and disrupted traffic throughout the morning and early afternoon The Stephenson County Sheriffrsquos Office first received a call at 308 am After it became clear the truck was carrying ethanol members of the Stephenson County Hazardous Materials team were dispatched to the scene While major leaking did not occur the incident prompted local authorities to evacuate three homes near the accident Source httpwwwjournalstandardcomfeaturesx802538271Truck-carrying-ethanol-rolls-over-on-U-S-20

For more stories see items 50 and 63 [Return to top]

- 3 -

Chemical Industry Sector

5 September 26 Associated Press ndash (Maine) Small chemical spill reported at Maine plant Officials say a small chemical spill has been cleaned up at Cyro Industries a plastic sheet manufacturing plant in Sanford Maine A fire lieutenant said officials were called at about 830 am September 26 to the plant An employee was accidentally sprayed with a chemical known as methyl methacrylate monomer when it spilled from a tanker truck that was being unloaded In all about 20 gallons of the chemical spilled By the time an emergency response team arrived the worker was taking a shower to clean off The employee was taken to Goodall Hospital as a precaution Officials said Cyro employees cleaned up the spill Source httpwwwnecncom092610Small-chemical-spill-reported-at-Maine-plandinghtmlampblockID=3ampapID=dcabf9a86cbf47d38e1bf419111a86a8

6 September 25 Bay City Tribune ndash (Texas) Plane crashes in Blessing A few Blessing Texas area residents heard a pop and saw one of Fehmelrsquos Crop Dusting aircraft go hurtling towards the ground where it crash-landed on the bank of the Tres Palacios River near Hawley Cemetery about noon September 24 The crop duster while on an aerial application flight struck a power line and crashed the Gulfstream fixed-wing single-engine plane according to a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson Only the pilot was on board when the crash occurred and he sustained serious injuries requiring him to be flown by medical helicopter to Hermann Memorial Hospital in Houston for treatment according to one of the first emergency responders on the scene When the plane clipped the high voltage powerline it caused a momentary loss of power at LyondellBassell Chemical plant said an AEP Texas spokesperson ldquoMy information is it caused enough of a dip in their voltage that it forced them to take their plant off production temporarilyrdquo he said The Matagorda County Emergency Management coordinator said because the plane was carrying chemicals for agricultural use and the crash occurred in a waterway the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality required a hazardous material clean-up crew to treat and vacuum the wreck site Source httpbaycitytribunecomstorylassoewcd=282ff0bddf609386

7 September 24 Associated Press ndash (Missouri) 20000 pounds of fertilizer spill near I-35 in Mo Several businesses were evacuated and a section of Interstate 35 is closed September 24 near Cameron Missouri after about 20000 pounds of fertilizer spilled from a tanker truck A Cameron police sergeant said traffic was being diverted off the highway and through the small town because of the fertilizerrsquos volatility He said businesses near the highway intersection including a McDonaldrsquos a motel and a convenience store had been evacuated A tanker truck carrying 40000 pounds of fertilizer pulled into an empty lot across from a truck stop got stuck in mud and hooked on something causing the ammonium nitrate mixture to spill About half poured out I-35 runs from northern Minnesota to Laredo Texas Itrsquos the major highway connecting Kansas City to Des Moines Iowa Source httpwwwnecncom09241020000-pounds-of-fertilizer-spill-near-I-landinghtmlampblockID=3ampapID=3caa9dfabfef4d02b645476d6fdf5cd5

- 4 -

For another story see item 29 [Return to top]

Nuclear Reactors Materials and Waste Sector

8 September 27 New York Daily News ndash (New York) Paterson vetoes bill to move radioactive-waste station away from PS 84 Parents and activists are furious that the New York governor vetoed a bill that would move a radioactive-waste station located near a public school in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn Radiac Corp stores and processes radioactive and hazardous waste in a three-building complex on Kent Ave which is about a block from Public School 84 on S First St A bill that would force Radiac to move passed both houses of the state legislature in July but the governor rejected it this month on grounds that it would harm area hospitals that depend on Radiacrsquos services Neighborhood parents are enraged that the governor has allowed the company to conduct its business so close to a public school Source httpwwwnydailynewscomny_localbrooklyn201009272010-09-27_toxic_waste_site_to_stay_gov_vetoes_bill_to_move_biz_near_ps_84html

9 September 25 Daily Comet ndash (Georgia South Carolina) Nuclear waste panel to visit Ga plant SC site A panel examining how the United States should store nuclear waste will visit Plant Vogtle in eastern Georgia and the Savannah River Site in South Carolina next year A retired General who also served as National Security Advisor and who serves as the commission co-chairman said panel members will arrange in January to visit Plant Vogtle near Waynesboro and the former bombmaking plant in neighboring South Carolina Panel members will also visit a waste isolation plant in New Mexico The US President created the commission after his administration abandoned a proposed nuclear waste storage site in Nevada The commission is slated to make the first of its recommendations in fall 2011 The Atlanta-based Southern Co and its partners are seeking to build two new reactors at Plant Vogtle Source httpwwwdailycometcomarticle20100925APN1009251391Title=Nuclear-waste-panel-to-visit-Ga-plant-SC-site

10 September 25 Burlington Free Press ndash (Vermont) Vermont Yankee OK in lsquo09 state says The Vermont Health Department has given the statersquos Vermont Yankee nuclear plant in Vernon a clean bill of health for 2009 The health department has found that no significant adverse health effects from radiological exposures resulted from the plantrsquos operations last year Even with the leak of radioactive tritium at the plant mdash first noted in November and made public this January mdash the state said Vermont Yankee stayed within compliance limits for radioactive releases But the health department said the leaks of tritium and other substances which grew worse in early 2010 have prompted a beefed up long-term monitoring program at the plant Source httpwwwburlingtonfreepresscomarticle20100925NEWS079250313Vermont-Yankee-OK-in-09-state-says

- 5 -

For another story see item 50 [Return to top]

Critical Manufacturing Sector

11 September 27 Reuters ndash (International) Hyundai to recall Sonata sedans in US Hyundai Motor South Korearsquos top automaker will recall some 139500 Sonata sedans sold in the United States due to problems with the steering wheel that could cause a loss or reduction of control The automaker announced the recall after the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a probe into steering problems in August a move analysts said was aimed at heading off criticism that it was slow to respond No accidents or injuries occurred as a result of improper assembly or loose steering connections Hyundai said in an e-mail statement September 26 The companyrsquos latest recall comes as the automaker seeks to increase production of the Sonata its best-selling model in America at its plant in Alabama Source httpwwwreuterscomarticleidUSTRE68P0BO20100927

12 September 25 Middletown Journal ndash (Ohio) Machine catches on fire at steel plant A small fire forced the temporary evacuation September 24 of a Middletown Ohio steel company A piece of machinery caught fire shortly before 9 am filling Excelsior Steel Processing with smoke There were no injuries The fire was put out before 930 am at the business which is located in Midd Cities Industrial Park 2601 S Verity Parkway Damage is estimated at $10000 The cause of the flames was a spark from a sanding process to polish steel Metal shavings in the bottom of the sanding machine caught fire then burnt the machine itself ldquoItrsquos happened before but not very oftenrdquo said the operations manager for Excelsior Source httpwwwmiddletownjournalcomnewscrimemachine-catches-on-fire-at-steel-plant-941139html

13 September 24 Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier ndash (Iowa) GMT in Waverly was in lockdown during standoff GMT locked down its Waverly Iowa machine-components plant for several hours September 23 after a report a person was making threats against its employees The situation developed shortly before 10 am and prompted law enforcement to track down the individual in Shell Rock according to the Bremer County Sheriffrsquos Office Deputies and Waverly police apprehended the man about 1 hour later Initially the man refused to get out of his pickup but authorities at the scene were ldquoable to talk him out of his vehicle without incidentrdquo the Bremer County sheriff said The sheriffrsquos office and GMT company officials did not release specifics about the nature of the alleged threats or how they were reportedly made The sheriffrsquos office did report the man never gained access to GMT facilities Source httpwcfcouriercomnewslocalarticle_aca3f734-c749-11df-9243-001cc4c03286html

[Return to top]

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Defense Industrial Base Sector

14 September 27 TG Daily ndash (National) Junk-tracking satellite sends back first signals Boeing has received the first signals from its Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) satellite following its launch September 25 from Vandenberg Air Force Base California The signals show it is functioning normally and is ready to begin orbital maneuvers and operational testing The SBSS Block 10 satellite will be the Air Forcersquos only space-based sensor capable of detecting and monitoring debris satellites and other space objects and thus wonrsquot be disrupted by weather atmosphere or time of day like ground-based systems The launch was postponed several times because of problems with the booster The satellite and its ground system are expected to improve the accuracy and timeliness of tracking and monitoring capabilities dramatically The team said it can provide the flexibility to quickly respond to new and changing mission requirements Shortly after launch the satellite began an automated sequence that deployed solar arrays pointed them at the sun and initialized satellite operations For the next 2 weeks operators will carry out health checks on the satellite bus followed by payload checkout Tests include sending simulated space situational awareness tasks to the operations center which will send commands to the satellite and collect data from those tasks for the Air Force Joint Space Operations Center The SBSS system is expected to be turned over to the Air Force within 60 days Source httpwwwtgdailycomspace-features51722-junk-tracking-satellite-sends-back-first-signals

[Return to top]

Banking and Finance Sector

15 September 27 The Register ndash (International) ZeuS attacks mobiles in bank SMS bypass scam Security researchers have warned that cybercrooks might be able to compromise online bank accounts even in cases where banks use SMS messages to authorize transactions The approach relies on first compromising a targeted userrsquos computer using a variant of the ZeuS banking Trojan before infecting the same userrsquos smartphone Thereafter it would be possible to initiate a transaction and authorize it following the receipt of a SMS message to a second compromised device The so-called ZeuS Mitmo (man-in-the-mobile) attack is explained in a blog post by a researcher of S21sec e-crime It relies on tricking a user into getting infected by Zeus on the desktop perhaps via a targeted e-mail that points to a booby-trapped Web site or contains an infected attachment Thereafter a userrsquos log-in credentials are captured the next time she logs into an online banking site The malware then generates a fake dialog box that attempts to trick the victim into disclosing the number and manufacturer of her mobile phone The phone would then be sent a fake security certificate which is actually a malicious banking Trojan tailored to the targetrsquos smartphone (Symbian or BlackBerry) The malicious application then monitors all incoming SMS as well as installing a backdoor to receive commands via SMS from a designated command and control number which can be altered The approach is plausible if a little convoluted but the added complexity may be worth it in targeted attacks perhaps against

- 7 -

organizations or wealthy individuals whose banks use SMS notification for two factor authentication of transactions Source httpwwwtheregistercouk20100927zeus_mobile_malware

16 September 27 Beaufort County Island Packet ndash (South Carolina) Ex-loan officer to plead guilty in fraud scheme A former mortgage loan officer at Carolina First Bank on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina is scheduled to plead guilty September 27 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud in connection with a scheme that cost banks as much as $7 million according to a US attorney Prosecutors said the former mortgage loan officer used inflated appraisals to fraudulently arrange residential mortgages for ldquostraw purchasersrdquo and then used the difference between the inflated mortgage proceeds and the actual value of the property to pay the straw purchasers himself and others according to court documents Most of the properties involved are in Beaufort County The loan officer said he is sorry and wants to take responsibility for his actions Court documents state the alleged conspiracy cost Carolina First and other financial institutions $25 million to $7 million The loan officer received more than $495000 in kickbacks for the sale of eight homes according to the documents Upon conviction he would have to forfeit any property he obtained as a result of the alleged conspiracy The defendant faces a maximum of 30 years in prison 5 years of supervised release and a $1 million fine Source httpwwwislandpacketcom201009271386085ex-loan-officer-to-plead-guiltyhtml

17 September 26 China Post ndash (New York) Norwegian central bank sues Citigroup for fraud Norwayrsquos central bank has sued New York-based Citigroup for allegedly providing false financial statements that led to losses of about $835 million a Citi official said September 24 Norges Bank complained Citigroup repeatedly issued ldquountrue statements and non-disclosure of material information to investorsrdquo which led the bank to purchase Citi securities at inflated prices between 2007 and 2009 ldquoNorges Bank lost in excess of $735 million on its investments in Citigroup common shares and in excess of $100 million on its investments in bonds and preferred sharesrdquo according to the lawsuit filed in a Manhattan federal court earlier this month ldquoWhen the market slowly learned the truth of Citirsquos financial condition Citi came close to insolvency and plaintiff lost a substantial amount of its investmentrdquo it said A Citigroup official said ldquoWe believe the suit has no merit and we will defend ourselves vigorouslyrdquo Other than setting monetary policy in Norway Norges Bank oversees one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world the Government Pension Fund-Global which holds hundreds of billion of dollars in assets Citigroup once the worldrsquos largest bank also faces a lawsuit filed in August 2009 by seven Norwegian towns and an investment house that had lost millions in debt obligations sold by Citigroup Source httpwwwchinapostcomtwbusinesscompany-focus20100926273962Norwegian-centralhtm

18 September 25 Bank Info Security ndash (National) Two banks closed on Sept 24 Federal and state banking regulators closed two banks September 24 These failures raise the total number of failed institutions to 144 so far in 2010 Haven Trust Bank Florida

- 8 -

Ponte Vedra Beach Florida was closed by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was appointed receiver First Southern Bank Boca Raton Florida will assume all Haven Trust deposits The two branches of Haven Trust will reopen as branches of First Southern Haven Trust had $1486 million in assets The estimated cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $319 million North County Bank Arlington Washinton was closed by the Washington Department of Financial Institutions The FDIC was appointed receiver Whidbey Island Bank Coupeville Washington will assume all of the deposits of North County Bank The FDIC estimates that the cost to the DIF will be $728 million Source httpwwwbankinfosecuritycomarticlesphpart_id=2948

19 September 24 The New New Internet ndash (California) Hackers steal hundreds of credit-card numbers from restaurant patrons Visits to several California-based restaurants turned out much more expensive than customers ever imagined Police in Roseville California the week of September 13 revealed that nearly 200 customers had their credit-card numbers stolen after patronizing the eateries While the police did not reveal which restaurants were affected due to the ongoing investigation they said the restaurants themselves are not responsible ldquoWe believe the breach is not actually at the restaurant but a third-party vendor thatrsquos in the process between using your credit card at the restaurant and actually billing the bankrdquo a police captain told 3KCRA Because of the complexity of the scheme Roseville police have asked the Secret Service for help catching the criminals In Davis police are dealing with similar issues They have seen a 50 percent increase in identity thefts While police will not say where the cards are being copied they revealed that crooks use them at Target stores in the Bay Area and as far away as Irvine Source httpwwwthenewnewinternetcom20100924hackers-steal-hundreds-of-credit-card-numbers-from-restaurant-patrons

20 September 24 Associated Press ndash (Illinois) 2 charged in alleged investment fraud scheme Federal prosecutors in Chicago Illinois said they have indicted a California woman and a man who once lived in the Chicago suburb of Northfield on wire fraud charges in an investment scheme that allegedly swindled some 70 investors out of more than $30 million A US attorney announced September 24 that the charges were filed 1 day earlier against a 60-year-old woman of Canyon Country California and 45-year-old former Northfield man who is now believed to be living in Texas The US attorney said the suspects were the top officers of Unified World Transport LLC a voice-over-Internet communications company based in Santa Monica California and allegedly misappropriated more than $12 million in investorsrsquo funds for their own use Source httpwwwmercurynewscombreaking-newsci_16167462nclick_check=1

[Return to top]

Transportation Sector

21 September 26 Associated Press ndash (International) Jet evacuated in Sweden after threat Canadian police are investigating whether a phoned-in hoax caused a Pakistani

- 9 -

jet to be diverted to Stockholm Sweden for several hours September 25 for fear that one of its passengers was carrying explosives Police evacuated 273 people from the jet and briefly detained a Canadian man after an anonymous caller in Canada tipped-off authorities that the suspect was carrying explosives No explosives were found on the man who was released after questioning by police or on the Boeing 777 from Pakistan International Airlines which had been bound from Toronto to Karachi Pakistan The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said it was investigating whether the incident was a ldquoterrorism hoaxrdquo Swedish police described the suspect as a Canadian citizen born in 1982 Initially they said he was of Pakistani background but later said they were not sure Source httpwwwnytimescomaponline20100925worldeuropeAP-EU-Sweden-Planehtml_r=1amppartner=rssampemc=rss

22 September 26 San Jose Mercury News ndash (California) Armed men in black create a ripple at Mineta San Jose International Airport About 3 pm September 25 a white Chevy Blazer pulled up to the arrival curb outside Terminal A at Mineta San Jose International Airport in San Jose California Two men dressed in black approached the information desk to inquire about American Airlines Flight 1205 from Dallas Texas Both carried assault rifles strapped across their chests with handguns in their holsters Then the pair casually waited near the escalator that ferries travelers to the luggage carousels It appears that airport travelers either figured the pairrsquos mission was benign or thought they were part of a movie San Jose police said they received no calls about the men with rifles Soon the armed pair greeted another man wearing a baseball cap after he descended the escalator Together they picked up about a half-dozen pieces of luggage loaded them into the white SUV and drove off It turns out the men with the assault rifles were from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore California and were meeting another security staffer returning from assignment a lab spokesman said San Jose police and airport officials who were unaware of the armed greeting until questioned by reporters the following day said protocol is for a law enforcement agency to give notice when sending armed personnel into another agencyrsquos jurisdiction An airport videotape showed the men in the baggage area for 7 or 8 minutes A police spokesman said that it isnrsquot unusual especially on weekends for Lawrence security guards to meet personnel at airports Source httpwwwmercurynewscomci_16181812source=most_viewed

23 September 26 Associated Press ndash (New York) Delta jet makes emergency landing at JFK Landing gear problems caused Delta Connection jet with 60 passengers on board to make an emergency landing at John F Kennedy International Airport in New York City A Port Authority spokesman said Delta Connection Flight 4951 operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines landed safely at about 820 pm September 25 He said there were no reports of injuries or fire An Atlantic Southeast Airlines spokesman said all passengers exited safely through the main door onto the tarmac and were bused to the terminal He said the airline was working with the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate the landing gear problem Source httpwwweturbonewscom18735delta-jet-makes-emergency-landing-jfk

- 10 -

24 September 26 msnbccom and Associated Press ndash (Washington) Unruly passenger forces jet to turn back An unruly passenger on a Delta airlines plane bound for Amsterdam Netherlands forced pilots to return the plane to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in SeaTac Washington shortly after take-off an airline spokeswoman said September 26 She said Flight 224 left the airport just after 6 pm About 30 minutes later she said a passenger disturbance prompted pilots to return The plane landed safely at 727 pm No one was injured The unruly passenger was removed from the plane and taken to a local medical facility according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) The flight was scheduled to land at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in the early afternoon September 27 The plane was swept for safety but nothing was found TSA officials said A total of 215 passengers were on board Delta flight 224 which is also marketed as codeshare KLM flight 6024 It was not immediately clear if the passenger involved is American Dutch or of another nationality Source httpwwwmsnbcmsncomid39364674nsus_news-airliner_security

25 September 24 Somerset Daily American ndash (Pennsylvania) Crews respond to train derailment A three-car train derailment occupied emergency responders for most of the evening September 24 Two cars and a small switching engine are believed to have rolled away from a depot at the North American Hoganas manufacturing plant in Quemahoning Township Pennsylvania Somerset County Control dispatchers said According to radio reports emergency responders found the overturned cars lying in front of a bridge with no evidence of a crew or passengers having been on board No injuries were reported although diesel leaking from the engine made the dispatch of a haz-mat crew necessary Accessing the site was difficult for responders who had to walk several hundred yards along the railroad tracks to find the overturned cars Firefighters from Hollsopple Conemaugh Township Scalp LevelPaint Sipesville New Centerville and Berlin were all on hand as part of the cleanup crew Paint Township police and Conemaugh Township EMS were also dispatched to the scene Source httpwwwdailyamericancomarticles20100924newslocalnews104txt

For more stories see items 4 and 7 [Return to top]

Postal and Shipping Sector

26 September 25 Ocala Star-Banner ndash (Florida) Explosive device found in mailbox A US postal worker delivering mail made a startling discovery September 25 when she found a suspicious device inside a mailbox in Ocala Florida Ocala police said the mail carrier contacted a supervisor who in turn called officers Responding to Saddle Creek a subdivision located in Fore Ranch off State Road 200 officials said the device had exploded but did not damage the mailbox The device was described as a bottle that had some type of liquid inside Ocala Fire Rescue along with the Marion County Fire Rescue Hazmat team went to the scene The sheriffrsquos office bomb squad also assisted in the investigation Police have classified the investigation as a criminal investigation

- 11 -

Source httpwwwocalacomarticle20100925ARTICLES100929758-1newsTitle=Explosive-device-found-in-mailbox

[Return to top]

Agriculture and Food Sector

27 September 26 New York Times ndash (Pennsylvania Maryland New Jersey) Move over bedbug The stink bug has landed Damage to fruit and vegetable crops from stink bugs in Middle Atlantic states has reached critical levels according to a government report That is in addition to the headaches the bugs are giving homeowners who cannot keep them out of their living rooms mdash especially the people who unwittingly step on them When stink bugs are crushed or become irritated they emit a pungent odor that is sometimes described as skunklike Farmers in Maryland New Jersey Pennsylvania and other states are battling a pest whose appetite has left dry boreholes in everything from apples and grapes to tomatoes and soybeans Stink bugs have made their mark on 20 percent of the apple crop at Scenic View Orchards in Maryland Other farmers report far worse damage Government and university researchers said they need more time to study the bug which has been in the United States since about 1998 Native to Asia it was first found in Allentown Pennsylvania and has no natural enemies here Some people noticed an increase in the stink bug population last year but all agreed that this yearrsquos swarm was out of control Researchers said the bugs reproduced at a faster rate this year but they are unsure why Source httpwwwnewsobservercom20100927704985move-over-bedbugs-stink-bugs-havehtml

28 September 25 Associated Press ndash (Kansas) Autopsy reports show that 2 men died from asphyxiation in accident at Lawrence company Recently released autopsy reports show that two men died in April from asphyxiation in an industrial accident at MagnaGro International a fertilizer company in Lawrence Kansas The Lawrence Journal World reported that autopsies show that the 25- and 51-year-old victims were overcome by fumes April 1 while they were cleaning a storage tank The Douglas County and Shawnee County coronerrsquos offices performed the autopsies The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited MagnaGro International for 11 violations The violations included not giving employees protection from falls outside the molasses storage tanks or proper ventilation inside the tanks Source httpwwwfox4kccomnewssns-ap-ks--magnagro-autopsies01455791story

29 September 25 WSJM 949 FM Benton Harbor ndash (Michigan) Everyone OK in winery ammonia leak More than 100 pounds of ammonia leaking at the St Julian Winery in Paw Paw Michigan forced many people to go to the hospital September 24 About a dozen people were sent to the hospital after breathing fumes from the substance All are in good condition Between 100 and 300 pounds poured out of a refrigeration system near the center of the facility at approximately 3 pm Crews closed the areas and shut off power to prevent an explosion from any gas that evaporated Source httpwwwwsjmcomEveryone-OK-In-Winery-Ammonia-Leak8222043

- 12 -

30 September 24 Food Safety News ndash (California International) Ginger candy recalled in California for lead The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) warned consumers this week not to eat ldquoGinger Candyrdquo imported from China due to potential lead contamination According to a CDPH press release the candy which was manufactured by Dai jyoBu in China and distributed by Anhing Corporation in Los Angeles contained more than twice the amount of lead that California allows in candy products California considers candies with lead levels in excess of 010 parts per million (ppm) of lead to be contaminated the Ginger Candy test results revealed 025 ppm of lead Anhing has recalled the candy and is working with distributors and retailers to ensure the product is taken off store shelves Although there have been no illnesses associated with the consumption of the ldquoGinger Candyrdquo anyone who has purchased the candy should discard it immediately Source httpwwwfoodsafetynewscom201009ginger-candy-recalled-in-california-for-lead

31 September 24 San Jose Mercury News ndash (California) Grape-eating moth spotted near Gilroy emergency ordered in Santa Clara County A state emergency order was issued following the discovery of three grape-eating moths in South Santa Clara County California mdash a cause of grave concern for winegrowers and anyone who craves a glass of chardonay or merlot Three European Grapevine Moths were discovered the week of September 20 on two vineyards west of Gilroy and Morgan Hill the countyrsquos acting agricultural commissioner said It is the first time the moths which can destroy a vineyard have been found in Santa Clara County Officials classify three moths as an ldquoinfestationrdquo When the moths formally known as Lobesia botrana were spotted in Napa County in 2009 getting rid of them proved to be a costly affair winegrowers reported Thousands of dollars are being spent on rigorous equipment cleaning and self-inspections Actions for the affected winegrowers mdash 39 of them in South County mdash will get more serious in the spring when the moths are in their larval stage That is when they attack the grapes and will need to be treated Winegrowers will need to get rid of the worms by choosing either pesticides pheromones or other ways to kill or stop them Source httpwwwmercurynewscombreaking-newsci_16165002nclick_check=1

32 September 24 Fort Worth Star-Telegram ndash (Texas) Fort Worth Sonic restaurant evacuated after bomb scare Authorities evacuated a Sonic Drive-In restaurant in Fort Worth Texas after pulling over a pickup carrying what appeared to be a bomb September 24 firefighters said But it turned out to be some sort of appliance a fire department spokesman said Fire officials are unsure what the appliance was for or what it does Police found a white PVC pipe with wires protruding from it in the bed of a truck believed to be stolen The bomb squad was called and a water cannon was used to break open the pipe That revealed copper tubing inside the spokesman said The squadrsquos first attempt to break open the copper tubing failed and it X-rayed the device about 730 pm About 845 pm the bomb squad tried again and determined that the device was not explosive Police said the truckrsquos driver was taken into custody The Sonic manager said the evacuation began about 430 pm ldquoWe were still running business but about 530 pm they told us to get outrdquo she said The parking lot was

- 13 -

roped off Northbound traffic on Trail Lake was blocked and other traffic was diverted Source httpwwwstar-telegramcom201009242493560fort-worth-sonic-restaurant-evacuatedhtml

33 September 24 KOHD 51 Bend ndash (Oregon) Fire forces evacuation at Ericksonrsquos The Ericksonrsquos Thriftway grocery store on Greenwood in Bend Oregon was evacuated September 24 The building filled with smoke around 130 pm employees and customers quickly getting out The Bend Fire Department arrived going into the kitchen area at the back of the store Damage was minimal but a smoky haze remained inside the store long after fire crews had cleared the flames The fire department set up fans to ventilate the building measuring the level of smoke in the air before letting employees and customers go back inside Source httpkohdcomnewslocal189928

For more stories see items 6 7 and 36 [Return to top]

Water Sector

34 September 26 Lexington Herald-Leader ndash (Kentucky) Raw sewage pours into South Elkhorn Creek A malfunctioning valve allowed raw sewage to pour into South Elkhorn Creek in Lexington Kentucky late September 23 and early September 24 killing an unknown number of fish a Lexington official said The spill began near Old Bridge Lane off Harrodsburg Road said a spokeswoman for the mayor An estimated 83000 gallons poured from the 4-inch valve which was attached to a 36-inch sewer line she said The spill was reported at 1115 pm September 23 and was contained by 530 am September 24 The valve is designed to let air escape from sewer lines Sometimes such valves become clogged with cigarette butts and other debris and stick in an open position Source httpwwwkentuckycom201009261451242raw-sewage-pours-into-south-elkhornhtml

35 September 25 Deseret News ndash (Utah) Oil-like substance spotted in Strawberry River Authorities in Duchesne Utah are investigating what appears to be an intentional dumping of an unknown oil product into the Strawberry River The substance was spotted in a stretch of the river just south of the Duchesne County Fairgrounds around 130 pm September 24 by an individual walking on a path near the river the Duchesne County Fire and Emergency Management director said On September 25 the contamination made its way to the Duchesne River though there has been no exposure to culinary waters As of the morning of September 25 the spill was impacting about 3 to 4 river miles Officials said there are indications someone put a hose into the river and opened it They believe it a water truck may have backed up to the river and dumped its load Both the Myton and Duchesne fire departments have sent hazardous materials teams to the spill site to place booms at several points along the river to try and prevent spreading On September 25 there were large black chunks

- 14 -

some as large as footballs of the oil-like substance along the shore of the river An environmental clean up company from Salt Lake City responded to direct clean-up efforts Crews set up containment booms to try and prevent further spreading The state department of environmental quality was also at the site to take samples The Duchesne County Sheriffrsquos Office has launched a criminal investigation Source httpwwwdeseretnewscomarticle700068379Oil-like-substance-spotted-in-Strawberry-Riverhtml

36 September 24 KGMI 790 AM Bellingham ndash (Washington) Boat contaminated with hazardous mussels detained Washington State had a close call this week when a truck hauling a boat contaminated with Zebra Mussels was stopped before it entered Washington waters Had the boat not been detained there could have been hundreds of millions of dollars in damage caused by the Zebra Mussels becoming established in Washington The non-native mussels threaten native fish and wildlife and clog water-intake systems The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife report the state patrol stopped the boat at the Cle Elum port of entry The boat was then sent to Seaview Marina in Bellingham where it is being decontaminated Importing the mussels to Washington is a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to $5000 in fines and 1 year in jail Knowingly bringing them into the state is a felony Zebra Mussels are native to the Caspian Sea The mussels entered the Great Lakes in the mid-1980s and have since spread to more than 20 states and two Canadian provinces Source httpkgmicompages8216965php

37 September 24 Reuters ndash (National) EPA pushing states to cleanup Chesapeake Bay report The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) September 24 threatened to go after five mid-Atlantic states with rules that could lead to higher sewer bills and stricter conditions on construction unless they cut pollution flowing into the Chesapeake Bay The Washington Post reported in its September 25 edition that the EPA told Virginia Pennsylvania West Virginia Delaware and New York that their plans to cut pollution contained ldquoserious deficienciesrdquo The EPA said some states are lagging behind a 2025 deadline to cut pollution and those that move too slowly could see measures that may lead to higher property taxes or new rules for farms The five states together account for more than 70 percent of the pollution that causes ldquodead zonesrdquo in the bay The enforcement warning comes after the EPA set deadlines to cut pollution by 2000 and 2010 and then failed to crack down after states missed the deadlines the Post said Federal and state governments have spent more than $5 billion trying to clean up the bay that is home to commercial quantities of fish crabs and oysters Pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus flow into the bay from treated sewage fertilizer and animal manure leading to unnatural algae blooms and using up oxygen needed by other inhabitants Source httpwwwreuterscomarticleidUSTRE68O0AC20100925

38 September 24 Frederick News-Post ndash (Maryland) EPA launches criminal investigation The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a criminal investigation into what appears to be green trace dye added to several water sources in Frederick Maryland Fort Detrick officials said An EPA spokesman would

- 15 -

not confirm or deny the criminal investigation September 23 Still a Fort Detrick spokesman said the EPA was in the middle of a criminal investigation and other state and federal agencies were involved Green water appeared at Fort Detrick September 2 when workers at the Army postrsquos wastewater treatment plant noticed it in a tank and then later flowing into the Monocacy River At that time the deputy garrison commander said the color appeared to be from a harmless dye possibly the kind used in waterflow studies He said he did not see the green water in the Monocacy but he was told by people on the scene that it was a Kelly green and fish were swimming around in it and appeared to be unharmed by the discoloration Two days before Fort Detrickrsquos incident the water at Hood Collegersquos pool on Rosemont Avenue turned green On August 30 the water in the YMCA pool on North Market Street also turned green In all three cases tests indicated the green water did not pose any danger The two pools fill with water from the cityrsquos water system which pulls from the Monocacy River well upstream of Fort Detrickrsquos wastewater treatment plant Officials are unsure of the cause but all agree the green water was not caused by Fort Detrick EPA must issue a permit before anyone can put trace dye into water and the EPA did not issue any such permits The Army post is looking into the possibility gate security was breached by whomever added the substance to the water Source httpwwwfredericknewspostcomsectionsnewsdisplayhtmStoryID=110314

For more stories see items 39 and 46 [Return to top]

Public Health and Healthcare Sector

39 September 26 Erie Times-News ndash (Pennsylvania) Legionella bacteria found at Millcreek Township facility Officials at the Golden Living Center-Walnut Creek nursing home confirmed September 25 that Legionella bacteria has been found in the Millcreek Township Pennsylvania facilityrsquos water ldquoSome of the plumbing and water outlets in the building have tested positive for Legionella bacteria and we are taking appropriate and aggressive measures to address the presence of the Legionella organism in the plumbingrsquorsquo the centerrsquos director of operations said in a phone interview Legionella can cause Legionnairesrsquo disease which leads to pneumonia and other respiratory ailments The bacteria grows in water including that found in systems such as cooling towers and condensers The $17-million 72000-square-foot Golden LivingCenter facility provides rehabilitation and senior care services Source httpwwwgoeriecomappspbcsdllarticleAID=20100926NEWS02309259884-1news

40 September 26 New Albany Evening News and Tribune ndash (Indiana) Indiana reports of whooping cough reach 24-year high State health officials said Indiana is on track for the highest number of pertussis infections since 1986 mirroring a national trend in the escalation of the highly contagious respiratory disease better known as whooping

- 16 -

cough Health experts said the rise in reported cases may be due in part to better diagnostic testing But they also point to the number of children who may not have been vaccinated against the disease as well as the number of teenagers and adults who have failed to get booster shots designed to keep their immunity from waning As of mid-September the number of whooping cough cases reported to the Indiana State Department of Health for 2010 had surpassed 390 close to the total number for 2009 An epidemiologist of the Indiana State Department of Health said health experts are fighting the misconception that whooping cough had been nearly eradicated The vaccine helped cut infections from 160000 in the 1940s to 1010 per year by 1976 But the numbers have increased tenfold since In California alone there have been more than 4000 cases reported this year including nine infants who have died mdash most of them after being misdiagnosed initially Source httpnewsandtribunecomlocalx1941091987Indiana-reports-of-whooping-cough-reach-24-year-high

41 September 24 Associated Press ndash (Tennessee) Memphis hospital workers sickened from odor Four hospital workers fell ill September 24 when a man showed up for treatment with a noxious odor coming from his body authorities said The 62-year-old man went to the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Memphis Tennessee about 730 am complaining of nausea vomiting and difficulty breathing a Memphis Fire Department spokesman said As the man was being cleaned four employees began feeling nauseous from the odor coming from the patient a VA spokeswoman said The workers immediately began receiving treatment Two were cleared to go home in good condition and two others were allowed to continue working the fire department spokesman said Source httpwwwknoxnewscomnews2010sep24memphis-hospital-workers-sickened-odor

[Return to top]

Government Facilities Sector

42 September 27 FOXNewscom ndash (International) Pentagon silent on Iranian nuke virus The Pentagon is refusing to comment on widespread accusations it is responsible for coordinating a cyber-attack against Iranrsquos nuclear facilities Earlier this month the Iranians acknowledged the ldquoStuxnet Wormrdquo had invaded software it uses at multiple nuclear production plants A Pentagon spokesman said September 27 the Department of Defense (DOD) can ldquoneither confirm nor denyrdquo reports it launched this attack The Stuxnet worms enters networks through USB portals and is designed specifically to attack software made by Siemens the German owned industrial corporation Last year the Pentagon was attacked by a virus that temporarily shut down e-mail services That worm also entered the system through commonly used flash drives or portable hard drives that plug into USB ports Since that attack the Pentagon has banned the use of flash drives throughout the DOD and that ban remains in place today DHS said last week it is taking precautions to defend the US against the Stuxnet worm

- 17 -

Source httpliveshotsblogsfoxnewscom20100927pentagon-silent-on-iranian-nuke-virus

43 September 26 Associated Press ndash (Pennsylvania) Fires force evacuation at Pa dorm Police in northeastern Pennsylvania are looking for possible suspects after a series of small fires forced the evacuation of a dormitory at East Stroudsburg University in Stroudburg Pennsylvania The Pocono Record reports that police said smoke from the four small fires set off alarms in Hawthorn Hall around 3 am September 24 About 380 students had to be evacuated while fire crews responded but no serious injuries were reported One fire was set in the laundry room and three others were set in bathroom trash cans A university spokesman said no suspect has been identified but that Pennsylvania State Police are investigating in conjunction with university police Students were eventually allowed to return after about an hour and a half Source httpwwwnorthjerseycomnews103810124_Fires_force_evacuation___at_Pa__dormhtml

44 September 25 Mid Columbia Tri-City Herald ndash (Washington) Plutonium waste shipping deadline set The first legal deadline for shipping plutonium-contaminated wastes from Hanford Washington has been set under newly approved changes to the Tri-Party Agreement A package of new deadlines was tentatively agreed to this spring by the Department of Energy (DOE) and its regulators to cover radioactive wastes that temporarily were buried in central Hanford since 1970 On Friday DOE the Washington State Department of Ecology and the Environmental Protection Agency announced an agreement had been signed following a public comment period In a key change that resulted from comments DOE will have to treat or ship transuranic waste mdash at Hanford typically debris contaminated with plutonium mdash by sometime in 2030 In the tentative March agreement DOE had until 2035 to do that work But the date was moved up because current projections anticipate that the nationrsquos repository for transuranic waste the Waste Isolation Pilot Project in New Mexico will stop accepting waste in late 2030 Work would then begin to close the repository Under the new deadlines DOE is required to have all but the remote-handled waste that was temporarily buried dug up by September 30 2016 Remote-handled waste including that in four caissons would need to be dug up by the end of 2018 Source httpwwwtri-cityheraldcom201009251182959plutonium-waste-shipping-deadlinehtml

45 September 25 Tulsa World ndash (Oklahoma) Bomb scare spurs Sapulpa schools evacuation The Tulsa Police Departmentrsquos Bomb Squad detonated a 6-inch metal pipe September 24 after its discovery at Sapulpa Junior High School in Sapulpa Oklahoma forced the evacuation of that school and two others No explosives or any other material were found in the device authorities said ldquoIt was just a piece of pipe that was covered on both endsrdquo said a school resource officer for the Sapulpa Police Department ldquoIt had the appearance of what we suspected maybe a pipe bomb However once we got the situation taken care of nothing was inside the pipe

- 18 -

whatsoeverrdquo The discovery of the device in the junior highrsquos science wing just after 9 am led to the evacuation of Woodlawn Elementary School and Sapulparsquos junior high and high schools About 2000 students were involved No one has been arrested in connection with the scare Classes resumed at about 1215 pm Source httpwwwtulsaworldcomnewsarticleaspxsubjectid=11amparticleid=20100925_12_A15_CUTLIN792457

46 September 24 KAAL 6 Austin ndash (Minnesota) Fields flooded dorm rooms evacuated at Carleton College Floodwaters covered some parts of the Carleton College campus in Northfield Minnesota September 24 after the Cannon River overshot its banks Water gushed on to the football field and into equipment rooms just after 7 am sending coaches scrambling to salvage what they could Nearby practice fields were also flooded The schoolrsquos new president said 30 students were evacuated from their dorm rooms He said he is hopeful staff will be able to ready the football field for next weekrsquos homecoming events Source httpkaaltvcomarticlestoriesS1760563shtmlcat=10728

For more stories see items 8 and 38 [Return to top]

Emergency Services Sector

47 September 27 Monroe News-Star ndash (Louisiana) Green Oaks makes hurricane plan Ouachita Parishrsquos Green Oaks Juvenile Detention has signed an agreement with Terrebonne Parish to accept juvenile detainees in the event of a hurricane along Louisianarsquos Gulf Coast region The agreement which was approved earlier this week by the Ouachita Parish Police Jury calls for Green Oaks to accept up to 15 juveniles from Terrebonne Parish nearly a quarter of the facilityrsquos existing population During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 Green Oaks housed up to 22 juveniles from Orleans Parish for nearly 2 months even though there was no formal agreement in place Green Oaks is the largest juvenile detention facility in north Louisiana with nearly 60 beds ldquoThe city of Monroe made an agreement with Terrebonne Parish to house their evacuees so this agreement to hold their juvenile detainees was just a good fit since they were headed this wayrdquo said the director of Green Oaks Source httpwwwthenewsstarcomarticle20100927NEWS019270312

For another story see item 69 [Return to top]

Information Technology Sector

48 September 27 The Register ndash (International) Anti-piracy lawyersrsquo email database leaked after hack Hackers have uploaded a leaked database of e-mails from anti-

- 19 -

piracy law firm ACSLaw onto P2P networks and Web sites ACSLaw was among a handful of entertainment industry-affiliated organizations to endure denial of service attacks by the denizens of 4Chan last week A loose-knit collective of members of the notorious message board also hit the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) using online attack tools taking the MPAA and RIAA offline in the process Other targets of Operation Payback is a [expletive] included solicitors ACSLaw and Davenport Lyons During attempts to re-establish ACSLawrsquos Web site a compressed copy of what seems to be part of the firmrsquos e-mail database contained in site backups was exposed online Hackers extracted the Webmail file and made it available via torrent trackers and posted it on some Web sites last weekend ldquoTheir site came back online [after the DDoS attack] ndash and on their front page was accidentally a backup file of the whole Web site including emails and passwordsrdquo a leader of the attacking group told TorrentFreak Information contained in the e-mail database reportedly includes personal details of the targets of the law firmrsquos threatening letters and business correspondence with ACSLawrsquos partners The data is buried among spam and office admin exchanges in a 350MB file Slyck reports that the file contains around a month of Webmails belonging to a solicitor who is head of ACSLaw Source httpwwwtheregistercouk20100927anti_piracy_lawyer_email_leak

49 September 27 The Register ndash (International) Zeus botnetsrsquo Achillesrsquo Heel makes infiltration easy A security researcher has discovered a potentially crippling vulnerability in one of the most widely used botnet toolkits a finding that makes it easy for blackhats and whitehats alike to take control of huge networks of infected PCs The flaw in the Zeus crimeware kit makes it trivial to hijack the CampC or command and control channels used to send instructions and software updates to compromised computers that often number in the hundreds of thousands There are in turn thousands or tens of thousands of botnets that are spawned from Zeus and the vast majority are susceptible to the technique That means the bug could make takedowns by law enforcement and rival crime gangs significantly easier said the researcher who discovered the defect and has written a simple program to exploit it The researcherrsquos script allows a user to upload and execute code of his choosing directly on the server running the Zeus CampC Although the Zeus architects designed their software to block executable scripts from being downloaded they did so using poorly written PHP code that can easily be defeated Whatrsquos more a separate directory traversal flaw makes it easy to place the malicious payload directly in the serverrsquos root directory ensuring the attacker can easily find his malicious script To run the script an attacker first must extract the cryptographic key an infected PC uses to communicate with the CampC Although the designers took pains to keep the RC4 key secret it can easily be deduced by reading it after itrsquos loaded into computer memory or by decrypting the botrsquos configuration file Source httpwwwtheregistercouk20100927zeus_botnet_hijacking

50 September 25 ComputerWorld ndash (International) Iran confirms massive Stuxnet infection of industrial systems Officials in Iran confirmed that the Stuxnet worm infected at least 30000 Windows PCs in the country multiple Iranian news services

- 20 -

reported September 25 Experts from Iranrsquos Atomic Energy Organization also reportedly met recently to discuss how to remove the malware Stuxnet considered by many security researchers to be the most sophisticated malware ever was first spotted in mid-June by VirusBlokAda a little-known security firm based in Belarus A month later Microsoft acknowledged that the worm targeted Windows PCs that managed large-scale industrial-control systems in manufacturing and utility companies Those control systems called SCADA for ldquosupervisory control and data acquisitionrdquo operate everything from power plants and factory machinery to oil pipelines and military installations According to researchers with US-based antivirus vendor Symantec Iran was hardest hit by Stuxnet Nearly 60 percent of all infected PCs in the earliest-known infection were located in that country Since then experts have amassed evidence that Stuxnet has been attacking SCADA systems since at least January 2010 Meanwhile others have speculated that Stuxnet was created by a state-sponsored team of programmers and designed to cripple Iranrsquos Bushehr nuclear reactor Source httpwwwcomputerworldcomsarticle9188018Iran_confirms_massive_Stuxnet_infection_of_industrial_systems

51 September 24 Help Net Security ndash (International) Bizarre tale behind conviction for botnet initiated DDoS attack In a curious twist of fate a man who refused to continue his collaboration with a group whose goal was to unmask pedophiles because he was concerned that their methods were starting to break laws has been found guilty of launching a DDoS attack with a botnet he assembled by himself The target of his attacks were Web sites on which certain photos of him and his e-mail correspondence with a fictitious woman named Holly were published ldquoHollyrdquo was created by the founder of the group whose members were posing as minors in chatrooms so they could unmask pedophiles and worked with the NBC television show called ldquoTo Catch a Predatorrdquo According to a Sophos blog the programmer was targeted by the founder of the group who decided to get revenge by embarrassing him So he posed as ldquoHollyrdquo and started an Internet relationship with the programmer ldquoHollyrdquo asked him to leave his wife and meet her at the airport The programmer did and while he waited in vain with flowers in his hand photos were taken by a hired photographer The group founder then posted the photos and the e-mails on a Web site and the story got picked up by Radar Magazine and Rolling Stone Wanting to remove any trace of it from the Internet the suspected programmer wrote a computer virus that ensnared some 100000 computers around the world into a botnet under his command and started bombarding sites that had published the story with a huge amount of bogus requests that made them crash Source httpwwwnet-securityorgsecworldphpid=9911

52 September 24 TrendLabs Malware Blog ndash (International) New Azvhan bot family revealed A new bot family was found in the wild around April 2010 was recently revealed The family was named ldquoAvzhanrdquo Avzhan malware detected by Trend Micro as Mal_Scar-1 mostly affected Asia where most of the affected users resided Avzhan bots install themselves onto the Windows system directory using the file name six random lower-case lettersexe After installation it deletes its original copy then

- 21 -

executes the copy it installed The domains it tries to connect to are registered on a well-known China-based dynamic DNS service The IP addresses also lead to ISPs in China As is typical of botnet zombies Mal_Scar-1 can execute various commands received from its command-and-control (CampC) servers including downloading and executing potentially malicious files This also allows complete takeover of usersrsquo systems In addition it also steals certain information about usersrsquo systems This stolen information is part of the data sent back to the botnetrsquos servers which includes the following computer name CPU speed language used memory size and windows version Source httpblogtrendmicrocomnew-azvhan-bot-family-revealed

For another story see item 42

Internet Alert Dashboard

To report cyber infrastructure incidents or to request information please contact US-CERT at sosus-certgov or visit their Web site httpwwwus-certgov Information on IT information sharing and analysis can be found at the IT ISAC (Information Sharing and Analysis Center) Web site httpswwwit-isacorg

[Return to top]

Communications Sector

53 September 27 New York Times ndash (National) US wants to make it easier to wiretap the Internet Federal law enforcement and national security officials are preparing to seek sweeping new regulations for the Internet arguing that their ability to wiretap criminal and terrorism suspects is ldquogoing darkrdquo as people increasingly communicate online instead of by telephone Essentially officials want Congress to require all services that enable communications mdash including encrypted e-mail transmitters like BlackBerry social networking Web sites like Facebook and software that allows direct ldquopeer to peerrdquo messaging like Skype mdash to be technically capable of complying if served with a wiretap order The mandate would include being able to intercept and unscramble encrypted messages The bill which the US Presidentrsquos administration plans to submit to lawmakers in 2011 raises fresh questions about how to balance security needs with protecting privacy and fostering innovation And because security services around the world face the same problem it could set an example that is copied globally Source httpwwwnytimescom20100927us27wiretaphtml_r=1

54 September 27 Long Island Press and Associated Press ndash (New York) No explosives found after Cablevision offices evacuated for bomb threat Police in Nassau County New York said no explosive device was found following an evacuation September 26 at a Syosset building that houses Cablevision Systems Corp offices A bomb threat led authorities to clear out the building off the Jericho Turnpike at about 630 pm Police could not immediately say how many people were in the building at

- 22 -

the time of the threat Police are trying to determine who made a threatening call to the company A Cablevision spokeswoman said the company is cooperating with authorities Source httpwwwlongislandpresscom20100927no-explosives-found-after-cabelvision-offices-evacuated-for-bomb-threat

55 September 24 IDG News Service ndash (Pennsylvania National) Comcast hackers get 18 months in prison Two hackers convicted of defacing Comcastrsquos Web site 2 years ago were sentenced September 24 to 18 months in prison The 20- and 28-year-old suspects were part of a telephone hacking group called Kryogeniks that took control of the Comcastnet Web site in May 2008 After taking over an account used to manage Comcastrsquos Domain Name System information they redirected visitors to their own Web site for several hours Comcastnet drew about 5 million visitors per day at the time During the incident visitors who went to the site were greeted with the message ldquoKRYOGENICS Defiant and EBK RoXed Comcast sHouTz to VIRUS Warlock elul21 coll1er sevenrdquo The two men were sentenced September 24 and must also pay almost $90000 in restitution to Comcast A third hacker was sentenced last month to 4 months in prison Source httpwwwcomputerworldcomsarticle9187978Comcast_hackers_get_18_months_in_prison

56 September 24 The Register ndash (National International) VoIP hacker sentenced to 10 years A Venezuelan citizen was sentenced to 10 years in US federal prison September 24 for hacking into the networks of telecommunications companies and then routing millions of minutes of voice over IP calls over their systems The 27-year-old admitted in February that he pocketed more than $1m in the scam in which he posed as a legitimate reseller of long-distance calling services By scanning networks of ATampT and other companies he was able to identify unprotected ports through which he could transmit more than 10 million minutes of unauthorized calls The suspect who spent much of his time in Miami Florida was described as the mastermind behind the operation For technical help in identifying vulnerable networks he turned to a Spokane Washington hacker He was previously sentenced to 2 years in prison for his role which included performing more than 6 million scans on ATampTrsquos network alone over a 5-month span in 2005 Source httpwwwtheregistercouk20100924voip_hacker_sentenced

57 September 24 Mobiledia ndash (Washington) T-Mobile claims right to block texts T-Mobile September 24 asked a federal court to throw out a lawsuit on censorship arguing that it has the right to block text messages which are not subject to the same regulations as voice services The Bellevue Washington-based carrier which is being sued by EZ Texting for blocking its campaign for legal medical marijuana dispensaries argued that while the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) does not allow carriers to block specific calls under the ldquocommon carriersrdquo provision text messages are exempt from that law T-Mobile claims text messages which are considered ldquoinformation servicesrdquo are not under the FCCrsquos authority and can be blocked to

- 23 -

ldquoprotect the carriersrsquo customers businesses and brands from offensive abusive fraudulent or illegal information servicesrdquo The carrier added that it withdrew EZ Textingrsquos short codes because the marketing firm was supposed to get prior approval for all campaigns run over its network as specified in its agreement Source httpwwwmobilediacomnews74528html

58 September 24 FierceWireless ndash (National) FCC approves unlicensed white space use The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in a long-awaited move approved the use of unlicensed white space spectrum clearing the way for new classes of devices that take advantage of what has been dubbed ldquosuper WiFirdquo The FCC voted 5-0 to approve the plan nearly 2 years after the agency first approved the use of white space spectrum mdash the tiny slivers of spectrum between TV broadcast stations The 2008 order was delayed by lawsuits from broadcasters church groups and a famous singer all of whom argued such use of the spectrum could interfere with TV stations and wireless microphones With the new vote the FCC handed a victory to Google Microsoft Dell Motorola and other companies that have been pushing for the spectrum to be unleashed The FCC chairman said the vote will provide ldquounique opportunities for innovators and entrepreneursrdquo Source httpwwwfiercewirelesscomstoryfcc-approves-unlicensed-white-space-use2010-09-24

59 September 24 Los Angeles Times ndash (National) Researchers calculate the death toll from texting while driving According to researchers from the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Ft Worth texting behind the wheel accounted for 16141 deaths between 2002 and 2007 The researchers arrived at that figure by analyzing nationwide traffic data from the Fatality Accident Reporting System and texting records from the Federal Communications Commission and CTIA the wireless telecom industry group Crunching the numbers they calculated that if text messaging had never been invented there would have been 1925 traffic fatalities per year due to distracted driving beween 2002 and 2007 But they rose from 4611 in 2001 to 5988 in 2007 Some other factoids from the study The percentage of all traffic deaths caused by distracted driving rose from 11 percent in 1999 to 16 percent in 2008 Only one-third of Americans had a cellphone in 1999 By 2008 91 percent did The average monthly volume of text messages was 1 million in 2002 By 2008 it was 110 million The study was published online September 23 by the American Journal of Public Health Source httpwwwlatimescomhealthboostershotsla-heb-distracted-driving-2010092403103350story

60 September 24 Salt Lake Tribune ndash (Utah Colorado) Utah Internet users suffer outage A Qwest Internet outage in Utah and Colorado crippled some businesses for more than 3 hours September 24 including The Salt Lake Tribune and its Web site A Qwest spokesman said about 80 businesses in Salt Lake City were affected by the outage to ldquovarying degreesrdquo Some businesses also were affected in parts of Colorado ldquoIt ranged from slowdowns to outagesrdquo he said The outage occurred about 1 pm when a Qwest computer card failed The Internet connections to the businesses were

- 24 -

restored about 410 pm when the equipment was replaced He did not know at which Qwest location the equipment failure took place Some information- technology officials whose businesses suffered the outage were told by Qwest technical support representatives that the problem apparently involved the failure of an IP switch which acts as a gateway directing data traffic to different customers Source httpwwwsltribcomsltribhome50349837-76outage-businesses-qwest-affectedhtmlcsp

61 September 24 CacheValleyDailycom ndash (Idaho) Backhoe causes broadcast power outage A backhoe cutting through a power line on Mount Pisgah in Idaho was apparently the cause of an outage that was affecting some radio and television reception September 24 The splice has affected the broadcasts of HD-TV translators and some FM radio signals including KVNUrsquos FM broadcast at 1021 The outage may also have affected some cell phone carriers Estimated repair time was 6 to 8 hours which could mean service might not be restored until late September 24 or early September 25 Source httpwwwcachevalleydailycomnewslocalBackhoe-causes-broadcast-power-outage-103755879html

For more stories see items 15 and 20 [Return to top]

Commercial Facilities Sector

62 September 27 WHIO 1290 AM Dayton ndash (Ohio) Propane tank explosion burns man at CultureFest A Norwood Ohio man was in good condition late September 26 at Miami Valley Hospital a day after he sustained serious burns from a propane tank explosion during this past weekendrsquos CultureFest in Springfield Ohio A second man a Springfield city maintenance employee was taken to Springfield Regional Medical Center for burns he sustained in the accident His condition was not available September 26 The explosion happened while the two men were trying to fix a leak in a 240-pound propane tank that was part of a food booth at the CultureFest celebration at City Hall Plaza During the fix the tank caught fire and ignited in a fireball that shot about 15 feet into the air The explosion severely burnt both men and the fire spread to another tank Firefighters responded around 7 pm to extinguish two burning 240-pound tanks Source httpnewstalkradiowhiocomlocalnews201009propane-tank-explosion-burns-mhtml

63 September 26 Quincy Patriot Ledger ndash (Massachusetts) Six rescued from elevators in South Shore Plaza power failure South Shore Plaza in Braintree Massachusetts was crowded with shoppers on a hot humid afternoon September 25 when the lights went out and the elevators stopped A power failure had just taken place throughout the entire mall A police officer reported the most likely cause was probably a large water main break inside one of the stores Debbiersquos Pet Land ldquoThere was a lot of water and it got into the electrical system and probably shorted it outrdquo he said Fire officials arrived

- 25 -

shortly after 2 pm and hurried around the plaza to check the elevators inside the stores including a large number of freight elevators They freed a family of four with two small children from one elevator as well as a teenage youth from Stoughton from another and an employee at the Apple store from a freight elevator there The Braintree Electric Light Department was also on the scene Officials had to wait until the water drained out of the system to restore power Lights came back on at 3 pm in one part of the mall and at 330 pm in another section One teenager was trapped in an elevator for about 1 hour Source httpwwwpatriotledgercomnewscops_and_courtsx1936768836Power-outage-at-South-Shoer-Plaza-in-Braintree

64 September 25 Associated Press ndash (North Carolina) Explosion closes NC mall no injuries reported Officials said an explosion in the basement of a Raleigh North Carolina mall led to the temporary closure of the shopping center but no injuries were reported The explosion September 24 blew the top off an electrical box cutting power to mall stores Three shoppers were trapped in an elevator for about 45 minutes until power was restored The cause of the explosion had not been determined Business returned to normal within a few hours Source httpwwwwralcomnewsstatestory8349235

65 September 24 Crossville Chronicle ndash (Tennessee) Church evacuated after bomb threat Emergency personnel evacuated approximately 30 staff members for a half hour at the First United Methodist Church on Webb Ave and Braun St in Crossville Tennesse September 22 after a bomb threat was phoned into the church A staff member of the church said she answered the phone and a voice said ldquoTherersquos a bomb in the building You have 30 minutesrdquo She said ldquoI called 911 and then pulled the fire alarm to evacuaterdquo The Crossville assistant fire chief and a Crossville plice patrolman along with Cumberland County EMS responded to the scene After investigating the church grounds they said there was no evidence of anything suspicious and no deliveries had been made to the church ldquoWersquore going to wait the 30 minutes and they have the option of re-entering the building if they wantrdquo the assistant fire chief said The voice over the telephone was disguised with a voice modulator After 30 minutes staff returned to the building There were no injuries involved with the evacuation and there were no children in the church at the time of the threat Source httpcrossville-chroniclecomlocalx1535826970Church-evacuated-after-bomb-threat

[Return to top]

National Monuments and Icons Sector

66 September 26 KUSA 9 Denver ndash (Colorado) Fire burning in Routt National Forest A small wildfire was burning late September 26 in the Routt National Forest in Colorado about 18 miles north of Steamboat US Forest Service officials said the call came in at 130 pm September 26 So far eight acres have burned Officials said there is one crew working the fire with one engine and a helicopter dropping water on the

- 26 -

fire No structures are threatened at this time Source httpwww9newscomnewslocalarticleaspxstoryid=155102ampcatid=346

67 September 23 KNBC 4 Los Angeles ndash (California) Fire scorches brush in Cleveland National Forest A fire driven by dry brush in eastern Orange County California threatened some remote campground structures September 23 in the Cleveland National Forest As of 415 pm September 23 the fire had burned at least 25 acres the Orange County Register reported No homes were in danger but a few structures at the Los Pinos Conservation Camp were threatened The fire broke out around noon in the Long Canyon area of the national forest west of the Ortega (74) Highway and near the Riverside County line a spokesman for the Cleveland National Forest said At least one law-enforcement officer at the scene suffered an unknown type of heat-related injury The extent of the injury was not immediately known The fire was being driven by fuel and topography Source httpwwwnbclosangelescomnewslocal-beatFire-Scorches-Brush-in-Cleveland-National-Forest-103659199html

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Dams Sector

68 September 27 CNN ndash (Wisconsin) Levee along Wisconsin River fails extent of possible flooding unkown As many as 100 homes could be affected by flood waters in Wisconsin due to the failure of a 120-year-old sand levee along the Wisconsin River The levee near the city of Portage in Columbia County began to give way the night of September 26 according to the National Weather Servicersquos MilwaukeeSullivan office A representative of the Columbia County Emergency Operations Center confirmed to CNN the morning of September 27 that the levee had in fact failed ldquoOnce the levee completely fails it is unknown how far south the flood waters of the Wisconsin River will travelrdquo the weather agency said Sunday night The levee is located on the south side of the Wisconsin River just south of Portage The weather agency urged residents to move to higher ground Roadways including parts of Interstate 39 could close Authorities in Portage worked September 26 to evacuate residents as the levee approached imminent failure after heavy rainfall soaked the Midwest last week An alert sent out by Columbia County Emergency Management September 26 urged residents near Blackhawk Park to evacuate immediately ahead of the flooding which is expected to wash out a main road leading to about 150 residences ldquoEmergency vehicles including police fire and EMS will not be able to reach residentsrdquo the statement said The deputy director of the countyrsquos emergency management department said September 26 it was unclear how many residents remained in the area A Red Cross shelter was opened at a nearby church to accommodate displaced residents The river at Portage is expected to stay above flood stage mdash 17 feet mdash through September 29 Portage will not be considered to be out of danger until the river has dropped below flood levels The levee system built in the 1890s was constructed from locally available materials mdash mostly sand mdash ldquowithout any engineering design or adherence to any standardsrdquo the Natural Resources department said in a statement last

- 27 -

week Source httpwwwcnncom2010US0927wisconsinfloodingindexhtmlhpt=T1

69 September 26 Catskill Daily Mail ndash (New York) Emergency services complete Sleepy Hollow dam failure exercise A dam failure exercise was held September 25 at the Sleepy Hollow dam in the village and town of Athens New York The Athens Fire Department orchestrated the event with numerous other agencies assisting in the mitigation drill The New York State Emergency Management Office (SEMO) was on hand to oversee the operation for which the agencies have been coordinating ldquotabletoprdquo exercises for several years A tabletop is essentially a brainstorming and strategy session with multiple agency leaders to develop an emergency action plan ldquoEverything went very wellrdquo said the Athens Fire Department chief He said this was the first mock dam failure evacuation exercise in Sleepy Hollow Lakersquos history The neighborhood features about 350 homes that use the lake for household water If the dam were to fail its waters would flood a zone from Union Street to Brick Row in the village on its way into the Hudson River SEMO which works under the umbrella of DHS cooperated with the Athens Fire Department the state office of fire prevention and control Greene County Emergency Services the Sleepy Hollow Public Safety team and surrounding agencies Other agencies that assisted included West Athens-Limestreet Fire Department Coxsackie Hose Company No 3 Catskill Fire Department Catskill Ambulance and the American Red Cross Source httpwwwthedailymailnetarticles20100926newsdoc4c9ea89b6a92b679942092txt

70 September 25 Associated Press ndash (Iowa) Divers repair washout under Iowa dam Divers have been called in to repair a washout on a dam in Anamosa Iowa caused by flooding on the Wapsipinicon River in 2008 The dam which generates electricity for Alliant Energy is owned by North American Hydro of Neshkoro Wisconsin ldquoIt needs to be fixed If left untended the dam would have eventually washed outrdquo said the operator of the dam for North American Hydro He said that if it had failed the results would not have been catastrophic The Anamosa dam is much lower and holds back less water than the dam at Lake Delhi which washed out in July draining a 9-mile-long lake Concrete is piped under water to the divers who pump it into large cloth bags to build concrete blocks The blocks will be pinned to the bedrock and to each other with iron and then covered in concrete Source httpwwwchicagotribunecomnewschi-ap-ia-anamosadam07795347story

71 September 25 Associated Press ndash (New Hampshire) Troublesome dam to be taken out A breached dam that has been blamed for flooding for years in one area town is getting a fix Selectmen in Hampstead New Hampshire voted September 22 to have the town pay to clear the dam near Route 111 which is on private property but has become such a public nuisance that town officials figure it would cost more for them not to address it Source httpwwwconcordmonitorcomarticle217778troublesome-dam-to-be-taken-out

- 28 -

72 September 24 Red Wing Republican Eagle ndash (Minnesota) High waters trip flood gates at Byllesby Dam Some of Byllesby Damrsquos trip gates opened due to high waters during the previous night the Cannon Falls Minnesota Police Department reported the morning of September 24 Dam operators advised city officials that the gates worked as designed Following safety procedures the city opened its incident command system and officials were planning on meeting throughout the day to monitor the situation Sandbagging was being done at a limited number of residences as a precautionary measure No evacuation of residences is occurring police said Source httpwwwrepublican-eaglecomeventarticleid69174grouphomepage

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DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report Contact Information

About the reports - The DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report is a daily [Monday through Friday] summary of open-source published information concerning significant critical infrastructure issues The DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report is archived for ten days on the Department of Homeland Security Web site httpwwwdhsgoviaipdailyreport

Contact Information Content and Suggestions Send mail to cikrproductfeedbackhqdhsgov or contact the DHS

Daily Report Team at 703-872-2267

Subscribe to the Distribution List Visit the DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report and follow instructions to Get e-mail updates when this information changes

Removal from Distribution List Send mail to supportgovdeliverycom

Contact DHS To report physical infrastructure incidents or to request information please contact the National Infrastructure Coordinating Center at niccdhsgov or (202) 282-9201 To report cyber infrastructure incidents or to request information please contact US-CERT at socus-certgov or visit their Web page at wwwus-certgov

Department of Homeland Security Disclaimer The DHS Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report is a non-commercial publication intended to educate and inform personnel engaged in infrastructure protection Further reproduction or redistribution is subject to original copyright restrictions DHS provides no warranty of ownership of the copyright or accuracy with respect to the original source material