- 1 -

Homeland Security Daily Open Source Infrastructure Report for 21 September 2010

Current Nationwide Threat Level

ELEVATED

Significant Risk of Terrorist Attacks

For information click here httpwwwdhsgov

Top Stories

According to the US Department of Justice a scientist and his wife who both previously worked as contractors at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico have been indicted on charges of communicating classified nuclear weapons data to a person they believed to be a Venezuelan government official and conspiring to participate in the development of an atomic weapon for Venezuela (See item 12)

National Public Radio reports that cooler temperatures and calmer and shifting winds have diminished the wildfire threat to 1600 homes in Herriman Utah Several neighborhoods were evacuated September 19 after a wildfire erupted shortly after noon near a machine-gun training range at Camp Williams a vast military reservation used by the Army National Guard located about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City (See item 38)

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]

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1 September 20 KVVU 5 Las Vegas ndash (Nevada) Explosion rocks gas station hurts businesses An explosion at a gas station in North Las Vegas Nevada over the weekend not only means the station is a total loss itrsquos hurting nearby businesses too The explosion created a huge fireball at the gas station near Craig Road and Interstate 15 late September 18 or early September 19 No one was hurt in the explosion but it did tear the roof off the building and send the front door flying about 100 feet in the air fire officials said The JCW Petroleum Mini Mart had recently closed to business But two employees working at a restaurant next door were present when the gas station blew up ldquoThey actually felt the boomrdquo the owner of Viva Zapatas said ldquoThey went out to the front of the restaurant and they were looking out the windows and thatrsquos when they saw a lot of fireballs shooting out of the building next doorrdquo The fire started in the building and the gas pumps werenrsquot involved firefighters said The gas station was a total loss suffering $100000 worth of damage Source httpwwwfox5vegascomnews25081189detailhtml

2 September 19 Los Angeles Times and Associated Press ndash (Louisiana) Blown-out BP well finally killed at bottom of Gulf of Mexico The BP oil well in the Gulf of Mexico mdash source of the largest offshore oil spill in US history mdash has been permanently killed a top federal official announced September 19 The federal spill response chief said pressure tests confirmed that BPrsquos effort to intersect the well 50 miles off of the coast of Louisiana and plug it with cement nearly 18000 feet below the ocean surface had proved successful ldquoWith this development which has been confirmed by the Department of the Interiorrsquos Bureau of Ocean Energy Management we can finally announce that the Macondo 252 well is effectively deadrdquo the federal spill response chief said in a statement ldquoAdditional regulatory steps will be undertaken but we can now state definitively that the Macondo well poses no continuing threat to the Gulf of Mexicordquo Source httplatimesblogslatimescomgreenspace201009blown-out-bp-well-finally-killed-at-bottom-of-gulf-of-mexicohtml

3 September 18 Farmington Daily Times ndash (New Mexico) San Juan County authorities practice mock disasters New Mexico area law enforcement agencies responded to a mock explosion on a pipeline on County Road 4990 and a mock mass shooting at ConocoPhillips on US 64 September 18 during an emergency training event intended to practice for real disasters The annual training event hosted by an oil and natural gas company and authorities throughout San Juan County allows officials from police firefighters paramedics and the New Mexico National Guard the opportunity to practice working together the San Juan County emergency manager said The purpose is to not only determine areas that need improvement but also to practice in the event a local domestic terrorist attack occurred he said Source httpwwwdaily-timescomci_16115450

4 September 18 Intelligencer and Wheeling News Register ndash (West Virginia) Gas well training begins for responders With new gas wells being drilled throughout the United States at an increasing rate the chances of an emergency situation is also increasing Following the gas well explosion on Beamrsquos Lane in Moundsville West

- 3 -

Virginia in June and a second incident off US 250 near Cameron West Virginia in July that required the evacuation of residents near the well the Marshall County emergency management director saw the immediate need for training of first responders As a result the first in a series of gas well emergency training classes took place September 18 at the Limestone Volunteer Fire Department Some 44 participants including representatives of all the Marshall County volunteer fire departments search and rescue teams emergency management and industry personnel attended Source httpwwwnews-registernetpagecontentdetailid541942htmlnav=515

5 September 17 Beckley Register-Herald ndash (West Virginia) Man suffers burns after alleged copper theft attempt A man suffered serious burns September 16 behind the locked gate of an Appalachian Power Co substation in Raleigh County West Virginia officials said Firefighters said they found a man on his knees inside the substation on Pemberton Road in Coal City with copper surrounding him When asked if the man was attempting to steal copper the Coal City fire chief said ldquoIf I had to take an educated guess I would say yes He was behind a locked gate with tools suggesting that is what he was doingrdquo Coal City VFD safety officer the first firefighter to arrive at the scene shortly after 2 pm said the man had third-degree burns from the waist up and a hole in his left leg where it is believed the electrical current exited his body The man was in critical condition As a result of the incident more than 600 APCO customers lost power As of 8 pm September 16 power had been restored to more than 430 customers with the remaining outages expected to be restored later that night Source httpwwwregister-heraldcomtodaysfrontpagex721418749Man-suffers-burns-after-alleged-copper-theft-attempt

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Chemical Industry Sector

6 September 17 TheMonitorcom ndash (Texas) Demolition workers spark Donna chemical fire Demolition workers accidentally started a fire at an old chemical manufacturing plant in Donna Texas September 17 The facility is used to manufacture napthalene a chemical used for dry cleaning solutions a Mid-Valley emergency coordinator said The workers contracted by the City of Donna were demolishing the building when the chemicals inside caught fire ldquoFortunately there was no explosionrdquo he said ldquoIt was a highly voliatile chemical The Donna Fire Department was able to put it out very quickly using foamrdquo Officials feared the foam and water used to extinguish the fire would mix with floodwaters and cause further flooding A company was hired to clean up the portion of the facility that was damaged and contaminated by the fire That company was able to contain the water before it posed a problem for the city The emergency coordinator expected the clean-up to be finished by September 18 or 19 if heavy rain does not deter the efforts The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality was called in to handle the investigation Source httpwwwthemonitorcomarticlesworkers-42863-chemical-demolitionhtml

For another story see item 27

- 4 -

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Nuclear Reactors Materials and Waste Sector

7 September 20 Patriot News ndash (Pennsylvania) TMI shuts down because of generator problem Three Mile Island Unit 1 in Londonderry Township Pennsylvania went off line at 1125 pm September 20 when the plantrsquos turbine generator shut down a spokesman for plant owner Exelon reported Plant technical experts are working to determine the cause he said When the plant shut down steam was released that people nearby may have heard the spokesman said but there was no health threat Electricity customers are not affected by the plant being offline he said Source httpwwwpennlivecommidstateindexssf201009tmi_shuts_down_because_of_genehtml

8 September 19 Poughkeepsie Journal ndash (New York) Concerns remain after nuke plant shutdown With both reactors shut down at Indian Point in the same week that the federal government tested emergency evacuation plans safety issues at the nuclear plant in Buchanan New York dominated regional news reports The plant is back at full power and the September 17 report card on disaster preparedness came back with a passing grade mdash but concerns linger ldquoYoursquore not talking about a toy factory this is a nuclear plantrdquo said a Yorktown Heights resident ldquoI know they do some good things and obviously we need the power But if you have a problem with a nuclear plant the potential risk is astronomicalrdquo That seems to be the issue that wonrsquot go away mdash the question of how bad things could get if there were a real emergency at the site Officials from plant owner Entergy Nuclear point to the industryrsquos safety record versus coal mining natural gas petroleum and other forms of electricity generation Source httpwwwpoughkeepsiejournalcomarticle20100919NEWS019190375Concerns-remain-after-nuke-plant-shutdown

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Critical Manufacturing Sector

9 September 18 WVLT 8 Knoxville ndash (Tennessee) Inspectors search for cause of Alcoa plant fire It took fire crews nearly 2 hours to fully put out a fire at the Alcoa plant in Blount County Tennessee Officials with the company said that the fire originated in the ldquoHot Millrdquo area of the North Plant just before 130 pm September 18 All workers were evacuated safely Flames from the blaze quickly spread to the rafters At least six units from the City of Alcoa and Blount County Fire Departments were dispatched to the plant around 145 pm They arrived minutes later at which point smoke could be seen coming from the facility for several miles The fire and hot spots were extinguished just before 4 pm Company inspectors almost immediately went to work trying to determine the cause of the fire and how much damage it caused to the facility

- 5 -

The North Plant is officially known as the Rigid Packaging Plant and is used to produce aluminum for beverage cans Alcoa is the worldrsquos third largest producer of aluminum and its products are used worldwide in aircraft automobiles oil and gas building and construction and industrial applications Source httpwwwvolunteertvcomnewsheadlines103204294html

10 September 17 WTHR 13 Indianapolis ndash (Indiana) Allison transmission plant evacuated The Allison Transmission plant in Indianapolis Indiana was evacuated September 17 due to a fire The fire and subsequent power outage caused a wastewater containment system to release wastewater which contains some lubricating oils and coolant onto the parking areas at the plant The fire was caused by a broken water pipe which sprayed onto a 4100-volt power supply The resulting power outage caused the wastewater containment system to stop working resulting in a release of wastewater onto the plantrsquos parking areas The fire department said the spill containment procedures put in place by Allison have contained the wastewater on property and as a result no ecological damage is expected from this incident No injuries were reported due to the fire or release The wastewater contains cooling tower water and process water used within the plant It is mostly water with some lubricating oils and coolants mixed in Allisonrsquos Transmission is currently working with the fire department and Marion County Health to prevent any further damage or incidents Source httpwwwwthrcomstory13172874allison-transmission-plant-evacuatedredirected=true

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Defense Industrial Base Sector

11 September 19 Huntsville Times ndash (National) Huntsville company putting digital lsquobackbonersquo in Army armored vehicles A Huntsville Alabama company is helping put some badly needed ldquodigital backbonerdquo into the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) ground vehicle essential to troops in Afghanistan Iraq and elsewhere MRAPs were hurriedly developed by different manufacturers to replace the lighter Humvee-type vehicles that were more vulnerable to improvised explosive devices and other weapons Since the MRAPs were fielded quickly to protect troops little provision was made for C4ISR electronics mdash Command Control Communications and Computer Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance The Army needed a ldquodigital backbonerdquo kit that could handle all the high-tech gear and be quickly installed in the theater of operations Six companies produce the components for the digital backbone kit which includes ldquosmartrdquo flat-panel displays from General Dynamics of Canada and a sophisticated video and data-distribution hub called OmniScape made by DRS Test and Energy Management in Huntsville Source httpblogalcomhuntsville-times-business201009post_14html

12 September 17 US Department of Justice ndash (New Mexico) Former workers at Los Alamos charged with transmitting classified nuclear weapons data The Justice Department (DOJ) September 17 announced that a scientist and his wife who both

- 6 -

previously worked as contractors at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico have been indicted on charges of communicating classified nuclear weapons data to a person they believed to be a Venezuelan government official and conspiring to participate in the development of an atomic weapon for Venezuela among other violations Both defendants were arrested by FBI agents September 17 If convicted of all the charges in the indictment the defendants face a potential sentence of life in prison The indictment does not allege that the government of Venezuela or anyone acting on its behalf sought or was passed any classified information nor does it charge any Venezuelan government officials or anyone acting on their behalf with wrongdoing Further the indictment does not charge any individuals currently working at LANL with wrongdoing According to the indictment one of the defendants had a series of conversations in March 2008 with an undercover FBI agent posing as a Venezuelan government official During these conversations he discussed his program for developing nuclear weapons for Venezuela Among other things the suspect allegedly said he could help Venezuela develop a nuclear bomb within 10 years and that under his program Venezuela would use a secret underground nuclear reactor to produce and enrich plutonium and an open above-ground reactor to produce nuclear energy Source httpwwwjusticegovopapr2010September10-nsd-1044html

13 September 17 WSMV 4 Nashville ndash (Tennessee) Flare plant to partially reopen after explosion A manufacturing facility that makes flares for the US military is set to partially reopen September 20 after three workers were severely burned in an explosion there The Jackson Sun reports Kilgore Flares in Toone Tennesee will resume operations in sections of the plant that donrsquot use processes that may have caused the September 14 fire Three employees were burned on at least half their bodies They were still hospitalized in Memphis Kilgore officials said the three put together magnesium- and Teflon-coated parts caps and other pieces for countermeasure decoy flares used to protect Air Force F16s from heat-seeking missiles Source httpwwwwsmvcomnews25054629detailhtml

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Banking and Finance Sector

14 September 20 LoanSafeorg ndash (New Jersey) Former Chase employee charged in $18 Million bank fraud scheme An indictment was unsealed September 20 against a suspect accused of charging a multi-year bank fraud scheme that netted him over $18 million between the summer of 2005 and the summer of 2009 an US attorney announced The suspect was also charged with engaging in transactions over $10000 with the proceeds of the fraud The 22-count indictment charges that the suspect while an employee of JPMorgan Chase Services manipulated the firmrsquos internal books and records and caused the bank to wire transfer to his account to accounts of his family and to accounts in which his life partner had right title interest or control The indictment claims that among the wire transfers of funds was one in 2005 for over $499500 one in 2008 for $58344499 and one in 2009 for another $58344499 If

- 7 -

convicted he faces a statutory maximum possible sentence of 240 years in prison a fine of $625 million $2200 in special assessments and up to 5 yearsrsquo supervised release Source httpwwwloansafeorgformer-chase-employee-charged-in-1-8-million-bank-fraud-scheme

15 September 19 WLS 7 Chicago ndash (Illinois) Hundreds fall victim to ID theft scam More victims have come forward regarding a case of debit card fraud in Wheeling Illinois Hundreds of people lost thousands of dollars and Chicago police were offering up tips to help protect against scam artists The story is the same in all the cases residents used their debit cards at a local business and then noticed large ATM withdrawals from their bank accounts Consumers in Wheeling and Buffalo Grove were targeted Police said they are not sure who is responsible for the illegal activity but said all the victims used their debit cards at a local business Batavia-based national grocery store chain Aldi issued a statement September 17 acknowledging they were recently notified that the security of a limited number of debit card terminals at some stores may have been compromised and they have removed terminals that may have been affected The FBI is investigating Source httpabclocalgocomwlsstorysection=newslocalampid=7676756

16 September 18 Bank Info Security ndash (National) 6 Banks closed on Sept 17 Federal and state banking regulators closed six banks September 17 These failures raise the total number of failed institutions to 140 so far in 2010 ISN Bank Cherry Hill New Jersey was closed by the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance which appointed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) as receiver The FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with New Century Bank (dba Customers Bank) Phoenixville Pennsylvania to assume all ISN deposits The cost to the Depositors Insurance Fund (DIF) is estimated to be $239 million The Bank of Ellijay Ellijay First Commerce Community Bank Douglasville and The Peoples Bank Winder were closed by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance which appointed FDIC as receiver Community amp Southern Bank Carrollton Georgia acquired the banking operations of all three banks including all deposits The FDIC estimates the cost to DIF for Bank of Ellijay will be $552 million for First Commerce Community Bank $714 million and for The Peoples Bank $989 million Bramble Savings Bank Milford Ohio was closed by the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions which appointed the FDIC as receiver The FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Foundation Bank Cincinnati to assume all deposits The cost to DIF is estimated to be $146 million Maritime Savings Bank West Allis Wisconsin was closed by Office of Thrift Supervision which appointed FDIC as receiver The FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with North Shore Bank FSB Brookfield Wisconsin to assume all Maritime deposits The cost to the DIF is estimated to be $836 million Source httpwwwbankinfosecuritycomarticlesphpart_id=2932

17 September 18 San Francisco Appeal ndash (California) Man sentenced in $13 million bank fraud scam One man was sentenced to prison September 15 for participating in

- 8 -

a scheme with three others that defrauded banks of more than $13 million according to the US Justice Department The 46-year-old was ordered to serve 45 months in prison for depositing fraudulent checks from a credit line into bank accounts and then rapidly withdrawing the money from ATMs a US attorney said in a statement All four defendants made plea agreements admitting to depositing the phony checks making withdrawals and then making purchases before the checks were returned unpaid The statement said bank accounts became overdrawn by thousands of dollars and sometimes tens of thousands of dollars Source httpsfappealcomnews201009man-sentenced-in-13-million-bank-fraud-scamphp

18 September 17 Associated Press ndash (California) San Francisco man charged in $25M Ponzi scheme Federal prosecutors said a San Francisco man has been charged with defrauding investors of $25 million in a residential property Ponzi scheme A US attorney said the 31-year-old suspect allegedly persuaded at least 80 people to lend him money by promising high returns on their investments in properties he would purchase renovate and resell FBI investigators allege that instead early investors were reimbursed with funds from later lenders while the suspect used some of the proceeds for personal expenses and to invest in retail businesses The suspect pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance September 17 Source httpwwwsfgatecomcgi-binarticlecgif=na20100917staten154425D39DTL

19 September 17 Krebs on Security ndash (International) SpyEye botnetrsquos bogus billing feature Miscreants who control large groupings of hacked PCs or ldquobotnetsrdquo are always looking for ways to better monetize their crime machines and competition among rival bot developers is leading to devious innovations The SpyEye botnet kit for example now not only allows botnet owners to automate the extraction of credit card and other financial data from infected systems but it also can be configured to use those credentials to generate bogus sales at online stores set up by the botmaster SpyEye is a software package that promises to make running a botnet a point-and-click exercise A unique component of SpyEye is a feature called ldquobillinghammerrdquo which automates the purchase of worthless or copycat software using credit card data stolen from victims of the botnet The SpyEye author explained this feature in detail on several hacking forums where his kit is sold even including a video that walks customers through the process of setting it up Basically the scam works like this The botmaster acquires some freeware utility or legitimate program renames it claims it as his own and places it up for sale at one of several pre-selected software sales and distribution platforms including ClickBank FastSpring eSellerate SetSystems or Shareit The botmaster then logs in to his SpyEye control panel feeds it a list of credit card numbers and corresponding cardholder data after which SpyEye opens an Internet Explorer Window and mdash at user-defined intervals mdash and starts auto-filling the proper fields at the botmasterrsquos online store and making purchases Source httpkrebsonsecuritycom201009spyeye-botnets-bogus-billing-feature

- 9 -

20 September 17 KWTX 10 Waco ndash (Texas) FBI seeks publicrsquos help in finding I-35 bandit The FBI asked for the publicrsquos help September 17 in locating the man dubbed the I-35 Bandit whorsquos robbed 15 Texas banks between Wichita Falls and San Antonio since January 2004 The most recent robbery occurred September 8 at the First State Bank Central Texas in Little River Academy during the height of flooding in the area caused by heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Hermine The robber used a small sedan as a getaway vehicle in all 15 of the robberies and when he held up the bank in Little River he was driving a 2011 model Hyundai Sonata that may have been a rental the FBI said It appears he has lost weight over the last 2 years authorities said The I-35 Bandit should be considered ldquoarmed and extremely dangerousrdquo the FBI said because in each robbery he entered the bank with his handgun drawn and pointed it directly at tellers or customers Source httpwwwkwtxcomnewsheadlines103163624htmlref=624

21 September 17 US Securities and Exchange Commission ndash (National) Lambros D Ballas sanctioned A suspect of Huntington New York was barred from association with any broker or dealer by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) The sanction was ordered in an administrative proceeding before an administrative law judge following a court-ordered injunction against him In July 2010 the suspect was enjoined from violating the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws based on his involvement in a fraudulent scheme to manipulate stock prices of multiple publicly traded companies He arranged for the distribution of phony press releases involving major public companies such as Google Microsoft and Walt Disney and then posed as an investor on Yahoo Inc Internet message boards providing links to the bogus releases he had created and disseminated In the case of one company he touted the suspect bought 5000 shares of its stock before issuing a phony press release that caused the stock price to increase nearly 80 percent within a few hours of the fake release During the time in which he engaged in this conduct the suspect was a registered representative with a broker-dealer registered with the Commission Source httpwwwsecgovnewsdigest2010dig091710htm

22 September 16 Wiredcom ndash (California) Man gets 6 years in prison for laundering $25 million for carders A California man who helped funnel stolen cash to a global network of hackers and carders was sentenced September 16 to 6 years in prison for conspiracy to launder moneyacircuml The 38-year-old suspect also known as ldquouBuyWeRushrdquo ran a legitimate business selling liquidation and overstock merchandise online and from three California stores But according to an indictment he also sold MSR-206rsquos to carders to encode stolen bank card data onto blank cards and he served as a conduit to transmit stolen money between mules and carders He worked with many of the top carders in the criminal underground between 2003 and 2006 including a Ukrainian carder who allegedly worked with the TJX hacker and was considered by authorities to be one of the top sellers of stolen card data on the Internet In 2003 and 2004 the suspect became an approved and trusted vendor on online criminal forums such as CarderPlanet and Shadowcrew advertising his goods and services and dispensing advice on the best tools to use for various criminal endeavors Source httpwwwwiredcomthreatlevel201009ubuywerush

- 10 -

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Transportation Sector

23 September 20 Reuters ndash (International) France warns of terror threat France is on heightened alert for possible terrorist attacks after receiving a tip-off that a female suicide bomber was planning to attack the transport system a police source said September 20 The interior minister said France was facing a real terrorism threat as it faces a backlash from al Qaeda militants in North Africa and fears grow of an attack from home-grown cells within its borders A police source told Reuters the authorities had been alerted from Algeria that there was a possible threat from a female suicide bomber to the Paris metro system Citing unidentified security sources French radio station RTL reported earlier in the day that the authorities had been informed of the possible bomber September 15 A spokesman for the public prosecutor said an investigation to determine the truth of the information was under way ldquoOn Salafist websites close to al Qaeda there have been more calls against France and communication has been intercepted from (al Qaedarsquos) Abu Yahya al-Libi to AQIM to attack France as a priorityrdquo a spokesman for the International Terrorism Observatory in Paris told Reuters Television The head of Francersquos counter intelligence service has appeared in several interviews recently evoking the heightened alert Source httpwwwreuterscomarticleidUSTRE68J3X120100920

24 September 18 Associated Press ndash (Texas) Charter bus hits Texas highway barrier 18 injured A charter bus struck a highway barrier after leaving Dallas Texas September 18 injuring 18 people including one seriously The bus left Dallas and was headed to Oklahoma City when it crashed just after midnight near Sanger Texas about 50 miles north of Dallas said a spokesman for the Texas Department of Safety The bus driver told authorities that a vehicle swerved in front of him and he took evasive action by pulling into the inside shoulder of the highway The bus struck the concrete barrier and came to rest on the grassy median It didnrsquot overturn but five passengers were ejected through side windows Eighteen of the 33 bus passengers were taken to three area hospitals with varying degrees of injuries including one who was transported in serious condition Source httpwwwcfnews13comarticlenewsapseptember152257Charter-bus-hits-Texas-highway-barrier-18-injured

For more stories see items 1 and 3 [Return to top]

Postal and Shipping Sector

25 September 20 United Press International ndash (International) White powder sent to another embassy White powder was found in an envelope at an embassy in Tel Aviv Israel mdash this time at the Turkish Embassy mdash for the fourth time in 1 week officials said Israeli firefighter teams and units specializing in dangerous substances were sent

- 11 -

to the site No injuries were reported Ynetnewscom said Embassy staffers opening mail discovered the white powder inside an envelope the Web site said It was the fourth time within 1 week that rescue forces were dispatched to Tel Aviv after suspicious envelopes were sent to foreign embassies the report said Last week envelopes containing white powder and threats to the state of Israel were sent to the American Spanish and Swedish embassies the report said Source httpwwwupicomTop_NewsWorld-News20100920White-powder-sent-to-another-embassyUPI-17661284993138

26 September 17 Associated Press ndash (Missouri) Suspicious substance prompts lockdown A letter containing an unknown substance prompted a brief lockdown at a Jefferson City building that houses a Missouri state agency The letter was delivered yesterday to the Missouri Division of Professional Registration and Licensing KRCG-TV reported an employee had a skin reaction from opening the letter A state department of public safety spokesman said preliminary tests indicated the substance was a prescription pain medication The spokesman said police responded around 1030 am and the building returned to normal around 1230 pm The office building is about 5 miles west of the state capitol Source httpwwwcolumbiatribunecomnews2010sep17suspicious-substance-prompts-lockdown

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Agriculture and Food Sector

27 September 19 Occupational Health and Safety ndash (Washington) Fruit processing plant to pay $106000 for failing to report ammonia release Tree Top Inc has agreed to pay a $21000 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) penalty and complete an $85000 upgrade to its Selah Washington plant for failing to immediately report a release of ammonia at its fruit processing plant In addition to the penalty Tree Top will update its computer hardware and install an advanced ammonia detection system that will make future releases less likely On July 10 2009 Tree Top had an estimated 1000-pound ammonia release at its fruit processing center according to the EPA settlement The company uses large quantities of anhydrous ammonia at the plant as a refrigerant According to case documents EPA alleges that Tree Top failed to immediately notify emergency response authorities after the ammonia release occurred and also failed to submit the required reporting documents The leak occurred when a high-pressure relief valve tripped and failed to reseat properly Source httpohsonlinecomarticles20100919fruit-processing-plant-to-pay-106000-for-failing-to-report-ammonia-releaseaspxadmgarea=news

28 September 19 Associated Press ndash (National) May frosts hurt apple crop in New England While apple growers in some states are enjoying an earlier-than-usual harvest many in New England and upper Midwest are reeling from the effects of two hard frosts in May The US Department of Agriculture forecasts the apple crop in every New England state except Rhode Island will be down by almost 20 percent

- 12 -

compared to 2009 The owner of Windy Ridge Orchard in North Haverhill New Hampshire said he lost 80 percent of his apple crop mdash upwards of 5000 bushels forcing him to eliminate pick-your own for the season A fruit specialist for the University of Massachusetts Extension Service said Massachusetts had pockets of loss but nothing like Vermont New Hampshire and Maine Michigan was also hit hard The frosts hit after an unseasonably warm spring in which apple trees blossomed early making them most vulnerable to the cold temperatures Source httpwwwwcsh6comnewsregionalstoryaspxstoryid=128564ampcatid=46

29 September 18 Food Safety News ndash (National) Blocking E coli before it moves in Scientists at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently discovered key gene and chemical interactions that allow toxic Escherichia coli (commonly known as E coli or O157H7) bacteria to colonize in the guts of cattle According to their research the bovines not only host but also can shed the deadly human pathogen Many E coli O157H7 outbreaks have been associated with contaminated meat products and cross contamination of produce crops Because the bacteria do not cause cattle to show clinical symptoms of illness and due to other unknown variables they can be hard to detect within the cattle as well as the environment Researchers at the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and an animal scientist reported on how the E coli bacteria are aware of a key chemical that plays a critical role in allowing the bacteria to colonize in cattlersquos gastrointestinal tracts The scientist and the ARS Food and Feed Safety Research Unit based out of College Station Texas published the study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science Source httpwwwfoodsafetynewscom201009blocking-e-coli-before-it-moves-in

30 September 17 Harlingen Valley Morning Star ndash (Texas) Fire smolders for hours inside cotton baler Firefighters worked for hours to control a fire that ignited inside a cotton baler near Harlingen Texas September 16 fighting the blaze into early September 17 A worker at the Valco chemical plant told officials he saw a cotton baler erupt into flames at the site after hearing a loud pop Harlingenrsquos fire marshal said The fire broke out sometime between 10 and 11 pm The fire department dispatched four engines a rescue truck and an aerial ladder platform to contain the blaze before it spread to nearby equipment ldquoThe fire was actually brought under control very quickly but itrsquos tough to completely extinguish that cotton once it gets goingrdquo he said At one point flames were 30 feet high Firefighters were at the scene until about 230 am September 17 because a large amount of cotton continued to smolder inside the baler No one was injured Source httpwwwbrownsvilleheraldcomnewsinside-116935-baler-smoldershtml

31 September 17 Associated Press ndash (New York) 19-year-old pleads guilty in lsquoFight Clubrsquo inspired explosion at New York City Starbucks A 19-year-old pleaded guilty September 17 to an attempted arson at a New York City Starbucks coffee shop in a pre-dawn blast that was inspired by the movie ldquoFight Clubrdquo He also pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon in a deal that will send him to prison for 3 and 12 years when he is sentenced November 16 The suspect faced a minimum 15 years and maximum 25 years in prison had he been convicted by a jury of more serious

- 13 -

arson charges The explosion near the Guggenheim museum on the Upper East Side on Memorial Day 2009 shattered windows at the Starbucks but caused no injuries The man only said one word ldquoYesrdquo when a Manhattan supreme court justice asked if he intentionally damaged the shop and knew there were people in the coffee shop who could have been harmed in the prank Source httpwwwfoxnewscomus20100917year-old-pleads-guilty-fight-club-inspired-explosion-new-york-city-starbucks

[Return to top]

Water Sector

32 September 20 Associated Press ndash (Iowa) Iowa town asked to conserve water after computer problem drains water tower Residents of Glidden Iowa are being asked to conserve water after a computer malfunction drained the townrsquos water tower The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said the problem happened September 19 The agency said the malfunction was fixed that day and by evening the tower was being filled In the meantime residents are asked to conserve water and to boil water for drinking or cooking because of the potential for bacterial contamination The department said the advisory will be in effect until at least September 21 Once the tower is filled and water pressure is restored the water will be tested to make sure it is safe Source httpwwwwqadcomnewssns-ap-ia--watertowerdrained06607834story

33 September 20 Tennessean ndash (Tennessee) No easy fix for leaky lagoon Town leaders in Thompsonrsquos Station Tennessee are shaping up a plan mdash and carefully scrutinizing costs mdash for repairs at the sewer treatment plant to satisfy a notice of violation issued by Tennessee The town administrator said he expected the statersquos letter after leaks to a lagoon at the 4-year-old plant were discovered weeks ago Though the lagoon is not yet in use the leaks still constitute a violation of the townrsquos permit through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) A TDEC spokeswoman said the town has 30 days to submit a plan The statersquos notice outlines the concerns several leaks in the lagoonrsquos liner and two areas where the ground appears to have collapsed underneath that cell The town administrator said they must identify what caused the collapses before making repairs The town got a quote of $31000 to dig monitoring wells that would be used to help with that determination But thatrsquos more money than the town may have he said noting they are considering a budget amendment to earmark repair funds The state also noted the town does not yet have the deed for the property that would be used as a drip field once the plant has reached a level that necessitates having to discharge treated effluent The plan was to use easements within the Tollgate Canterbury and Bridgemore subdivision that fronted the construction cost for the plant in exchange for prepaid sewer connections The town administrator said they are working on a drip field plan for the statersquos approval Source httpwwwtennesseancomarticle20100920WILLIAMSON1292003062044No+easy+fix+for+leaky+lagoon

- 14 -

34 September 20 Arizona Daily Star ndash (Arizona) City facing major new expense to treat water Changing federal standards for a chemical left behind after the cleanup of TCE and TCA from south-side groundwater could force the city of Tuscon Arizona mdash and water customers mdash to spend millions of dollars on a new treatment plant Removing trichloroethylene or TCE and trichloroethane or TCA from groundwater leaves behind a chemical called 14 dioxane which was used to prevent the breakdown of TCA Although the massive federal Superfund site on the south side is able to strip out the TCE and TCA the 14 dioxane does not evaporate and stays in the water To get under the current federal standards of 3 parts per billion (ppb) for 14 dioxane in drinking water Tucson Water mixes the treated water from the south side with other water not contaminated by the chemical lowering the level in Tucsonrsquos Water supply to 115 ppb the Tucson water director said But Tucson Water was notified 2 weeks ago that new federal drinking water standards will likely be issued in the wake of a new Environmental Protection Agency risk assessment for 14 dioxane showing the cancer potency factor of the chemical is nine times higher than the agency previously thought How low the new standard could fall hasnrsquot been identified but the director said it is likely to be below the level that Tucson Water now achieves He also noted that as differing degrees of contaminated water move through the treatment plant there is no guarantee the city can continue to hit the 115 ppb standard it now achieves Because word of the likely change is so new city officials have no estimate on how much the plant will cost mdash beyond that it will be in the millions mdash or exactly when it will be required Source httpazstarnetcomnewslocalgovt-and-politicsarticle_33365df2-7adb-5252-aff3-1cca4806ad01html

35 September 17 WTXF 29 Philadelphia ndash (Pennsylvania) Local counties put on drought warnings The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has put Philadelphia Lehigh Bucks and Montgomery counties under a drought warning All citizens and businesses are being told to reduce water use by 15 percent as a voluntary measure as of September 17 If the situation does not approve the DEP could issue a drought emergency The state has not issued an emergency since 2002 Under those conditions there would be a mandatory 15 percent cut back on water use enforceable by law The DEP secretary said a hot dry summer has led to steadily declining ground and surface water levels He said ldquoPennsylvaniarsquos Drought Task Force has concurred with DEPrsquos recommendation that drought watches and warnings be issued for all 67 counties to alert water suppliers industry and the public of the need to begin conserving waterrdquo Bucks County has been hit particularly hard The precipitation deficit over the past 90-day period is 55 inches below normal in Bucks County Source httpwwwmyfoxphillycomdppnewslocal_news091710-local-counties-put-on-drought-warnings

For more stories see items 10 51 and 60 [Return to top]

- 15 -

Public Health and Healthcare Sector

36 September 18 San Jose Mercury News ndash (California) Area hospitals expect to learn from response to Calif gas pipeline explosion Area hospitals were able to ramp up quickly and handle the dozens of injured flooding in from the gas pipeline explosion and fire in San Bruno California but officials hope to use the experience to better prepare for the next major disaster Many of the wounded were able to drive themselves to the emergency room and have since been treated and released though four others with severe injuries remained September 17 at the St Francis Memorial Hospital Burn Center in San Francisco Source httpwwwkentuckycom201009181441129area-hospitals-expect-to-learnhtml

37 September 18 The Tennessean ndash (Tennessee) MTMC exercises delayed by bomb hoax Secondhand information about a bomb threat at the new Middle Tennessee Medical Center located in tennessee September 17 disrupted tours of the facility employee training exercises and other preparations that were under way for the hospitalrsquos Oct 2 grand opening Murfreesboro Police and the Tennessee Highway Patrolrsquos bomb squad after an almost four-hour sweep of the building determined there was no explosive device in the hospitalrsquos new facility located on Medical Center Parkway near Interstate 24 After the all-clear was given police attention quickly turned back to the person responsible for making the call Source httpwwwtennesseancomarticleD420100918NEWS019180309MTMC+exercises+delayed+by+bomb+hoax

[Return to top]

Government Facilities Sector

38 September 20 National Public Radio ndash (Utah) Threat eases from lsquoMachine Gunrsquo wildfire in Utah Cooler temperatures and calmer and shifting winds have diminished the wildfire threat to 1600 homes in Herriman Utah But fire and police officials continued to keep about 5000 people out of their homes Several neighborhoods were evacuated September 19 after a wildfire erupted shortly after noon near a machine-gun training range at Camp Williams a vast military reservation used by the Army National Guard located about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City The ldquoMachine Gunrdquo fire was sparked by a stray bullet that likely ricocheted off a rock and into dry brush said the National Guard commander in Utah Military firefighters attacked the relatively small blaze and believed it was out he said But the region was under a National Weather Service ldquoRed Flagrdquo warning for hot and dry conditions conducive to wildfire and when wind gusts picked up 3 hours later the blaze flared up from 300 to 3500 acres and raced out of control ldquoItrsquos the biggest [fire] Irsquove seen hererdquo the National Guard commander said Training has triggered wildfires in the past and the National Guard has protocols for conducting training when wildfire is possible State and county officials promised an investigation More than 120 National Guard soldiers were

- 16 -

activated to assist police and firefighters Source httpminnesotapublicradioorgfeaturesnprphpid=129986485

39 September 20 Salida Mountain Mail ndash (Colorado) Firearm report spurs school evacuation The report of a person with a firearm spurred evacuation of Buena Vista Middle School in Buena Vista Colorado about 715 pm September 17 and a full-scale multi-agency response by law enforcement Information from the Buena Vista Police Chief said the initial 911 call reported that juvenile witnesses saw the person in the area with a firearm A number of students and faculty members were in the middle school attending a movie night In addition the Buena Vista cross country team would be returning to the school after a meet Officers from Buena Vista Police Department and Chaffee County Sheriffrsquos Deputies responded placing the school under ldquolockdownrdquo the police chief reported He said students and staff members were evacuated to the Sangre De Christo Electric building on north US 24 where parents could pick up their children After a short time the police chief reported officers identified a juvenile suspect who turned over a black Airsoft brand handgun designed to shoot plastic pellets Source httpwwwthemountainmailcommainaspSectionID=4ampSubSectionID=4ampArticleID=20315

40 September 20 Times Beacon Record ndash (New York) SBU dorm evacuated On September 19 an ldquounknown irritantrdquo caused Hand College a dormitory on the campus of Stony Brook University (SBU) in Stony Brook New York to be evacuated and decomtaminated The substance caused several students to suffer eye and throat irritation and led to the deployment of haz-mat trailers from Brookhaven Town and Suffolk County According to a statement from SBU ldquoA total of 20 students who were on or in the immediate vicinity of the third floor were decontaminated as a precaution Of these students a total of four were transported (treated and discharged) to University Medical Center with minor irritation complaintsrdquo Source httpwwwnorthshoreoflongislandcomArticles-i-2010-09-16-85371112114-sub_SBU_dorm_evacuatedhtml

41 September 17 Enid News amp Eagle ndash (Oklahoma) Explosive detector dog alerts on truck at Vance AFB A military explosive detector dog alerted to a commercial vehicle attempting to enter the Baker or industrial gate at Vance Air Force Base near Enid Oklahoma September 17 Vance emergency personnel and an explosive ordinance team from McConnell AFB Kansas have responded to protect the public and assess the threat according to a release from Vancersquos public affairs office The Baker gate has been closed and will remain so until further notice Source httpenidnewscomlocalnewsx213894377BREAKING-Explosive-detector-dog-alerts-on-truck-at-Vance-AFB

42 September 17 FoxNews ndash (New York) UN ignores risks of terror attack New York City says As the United Nations (UN) hosts scores of world leaders at its annual General Assembly this month mdash and a special summit called by the Secretary General

- 17 -

for September 20 mdash behind-the-scene tensions are high between the world organization and New York City which has repeatedly warned that the UN complex on Manhattanrsquos East side is dangerously exposed to potential terrorist attacks Top city officials including the mayor and police commissioner feel frustrated that after years of negotiations and a $18 billion UN facelift that is now under way the UN is ignoring blunt and dire warnings about the risks faced at the 17-acre complex ldquoThe city is not satisfied with the UNrsquos response to daterdquo declared a mayoral spokesman ldquoThe UN has not adopted the cityrsquos security recommendations for the headquarters campusrdquo The cityrsquos concerns are major In some places at the periphery of the UN complex little more than a wheel-barrow full of high explosives could have a disastrous effect In others a truck-bomber could drive within a few yards of the complex before setting off a blast that could be as devastating as the 1995 Oklahoma City Oklahoma bombing at the Alfred P Murrah Federal Building Source httpwwwfoxnewscomworld20100916exclusive-ignores-risks-terror-attack-new-york-city-saystest=latestnews

43 September 16 Alexandria Daily Town Talk ndash (Louisiana) City websitersquos hacked link fixed A link on the city of Alexandriarsquos (Louisiana) Web site that had been compromised by a hacker now has been fixed A hacker known as S3nleVeyaSensiz and describing himself as a ldquoTurkish Attackerrdquo had posted a profane message as well as a hooded image wearing a Turkish flag on the cityrsquos Web site last week The site page now contains two links from a February meeting on the cityrsquos planned Sugarhouse Road extension project Source httpwwwthetowntalkcomarticle20100916NEWS019160317

For more stories see items 12 25 and 26 [Return to top]

Emergency Services Sector See items 3 and 4

[Return to top]

Information Technology Sector

44 September 20 Computerworld ndash (International) Adobe moves up Flash fix will patch bug today Adobe has accelerated the delivery of a patch for a critical vulnerability in Flash and will ship the fix September 20 rather than next week as originally scheduled Chrome users however got the patch September 17 one of the benefits of an April Google-Adobe deal The bug which Adobe acknowledged September 13 can be used by attackers to commandeer machines running the popular media player According to the US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team) hackers can exploit the vulnerability by enticing users to a malicious Web site or by getting them to open rigged PDF or Microsoft Word documents Adobe last week called the ongoing

- 18 -

attacks ldquotargetedrdquo and ldquolimitedrdquo and aimed only at Windows users Security vendors have also unearthed in-the-wild threats leveraging the Flash bug Source httpwwwcomputerworldcomsarticle9186638Adobe_moves_up_Flash_fix_will_patch_bug_today

45 September 20 The H Security ndash (International) Workaround for ASPNET serverrsquos encryption vulnerability In a security advisory Microsoft has confirmed the vulnerability in the process used by ASPNET applications to encrypt cookies and other session information In the announcement for the security advisory Microsoft said it was not so far aware of any attacks However the security group encouraged users to ldquoreview the advisory for mitigations and workaroundsrdquo A blog entry describes how to implement the workarounds and offers a script to help administrators determine whether their ASPNET applications are vulnerable The cause of the problem was highlighted last week by two security researchers who established that there was an issue with how the ASPNET framework encrypted data Usually this uses the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) in Cipher Block Chaining mode (CBC) but this mode is vulnerable to what are called Padding Oracle Attacks PDF which can allow encrypted data such as cookies to be decrypted without the key Source httpwwwh-onlinecomsecuritynewsitemWorkaround-for-ASP-NET-server-s-encryption-vulnerability-1081837html

46 September 20 Government Computer News ndash (International) Applersquos Ping social networking site quickly hit by spammers Less than 1 week after introducing its new music-oriented social networking site September 1 Apple had to begin scrubbing Ping clean of spammers and scammers who almost immediately began infiltrating the network Ping was launched as a feature of Applersquos new iTunes 10 music mart ldquoWith Ping you can follow your favorite artists and friends and join a worldwide conversation with musicrsquos most passionate fansrdquo Applersquos CEO said in an announcement He probably was not expecting that within hours fans also would be swamped with offers for free iPhones iPads iPods and other iGoodies from Web site ads and survey offers in the comments sections of posts on popular artists ldquoThis development does not come as a surpriserdquo said the vice president of technology strategy at M86 Security ldquoPing is a social network and cyber criminals have been targeting social networks for quite some timerdquo The two grand dames of social networking Twitter and Facebook have long been spam vectors But Pingrsquos online filters were focused more on obscenity and copyright violations than possible spammers Source httpgcncomarticles20100920cybereye-box-apple-ping-spammersaspx

47 September 20 The Register ndash (International) 4chan launches DDoS against entertainment industry Members of 4chan launched a series of distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS) against Web sites maintained by the Motion Pictures Association of America and Recording Industry Association of America over the weekend protesting actions taken against torrent tracker Web site the Pirate Bay ldquoOperation Payback Is A [expletive]rdquo began as an attack against Aiplex mdash an Indian

- 19 -

firm that carries out DDoS attacks on Web sites hosting BitTorrent trackers that fail to respond to takedown notices mdash before progressing onto other entertainment industry Web sites Packet floods knocked entertainment Web sites offline intermittently throughout the weekend The attacks were initially coordinated via an Internet Relay Chat channel which has since been taken offline Participants in the attacks are invited to download one of two attack tools It is unclear whether or not participants in the attack are using zombie networks of compromised PCs Source httpwwwtheregistercouk201009204chan_ddos_mpaa_riaa

48 September 18 Softpedia ndash (International) Sites hosted at Go Daddy hit by mass injection attack again Researchers from Sucuri Security a company running a Web integrity monitoring service warn that a number of Web sites hosted at Go Daddy have had malicious code injected into their pages All infected sites had base64-encoded JavaScript added to all of their PHP files The rogue scripting decodes to a element which loads content from a third-party domain The external code redirects visitors to a scareware distribution Web site which mimics an antivirus scan and displays fake warnings about infections on their computers The goal of the scam is to trick users to buy licenses for a useless application which claims to be able to clean malware that wasnrsquot even there to begin with The company provides a generic Web site clean-up script which according to some comments worked for removing this latest infection However those amongst the affected Web site owners should check first with Go Daddy as they might already have a solution for this attack Source httpnewssoftpediacomnewsSites-Hosted-at-Go-Daddy-Hit-by-Mass-Injection-Attack-Again-156997shtml

49 September 17 DarkReading ndash (International) Forrester pushes lsquozero trustrsquo model for security Trust no one not even end users Thatrsquos the underlying theme of a new security model proposed by Forrester Research called ldquoZero Trustrdquo which calls for enterprises to inspect all network traffic from the outside and on the inside A senior analyst with Forrester said the current trust model in security is broken and the only way to fix it is to get rid of the idea of the trusted internal network and the untrusted external network Instead consider all network traffic untrusted he said ldquoTimes have changed You canrsquot think about trusted and untrusted usersrdquo anymore said the analyst who gave more details on the model at Forresterrsquos Security Forum in Boston Massachusetts The wave of damaging insider-borne breaches during the past few years illustrates the importance of being able to see everything going on in the network he said Zero Trust means inspecting all traffic in real time and a new category of products called network analysis and visibility which combines several niche tools mdash such as forensics packet capture meta data analysis and network discovery flow analysis mdash such that they provide visibility and analysis of traffic and do not disrupt business processes Source httpwwwdarkreadingcominsiderthreatsecurityperimetershowArticlejhtmlarticleID=227500145

- 20 -

50 September 17 The H Security ndash (International) Stuxnet also found at industrial plants in Germany Siemens is reporting that industrial plants in Germany have also been hit by the Stuxnet worm According to a spokesperson for Siemens about one third of the 15 infections discovered at industrial plants worldwide have been found at sites in the German process industry sector Siemensrsquo own plants are said not to be affected Analyses by Siemens have confirmed that Stuxnet can in theory manipulate Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) However the behavior has not been observed in the wild According to the spokesperson Stuxnet checks the configurations of infected WinCC or PC7 systems for existing data blocks If it finds suitable blocks it becomes active and modifies the controller code If it doesnrsquot find any it remains inactive The worm seems to look for specific types of systems to manipulate Siemens couldnrsquot provide details about which systems are or could be affected The spokesperson said no system with an active worm has so far been observed Automation system security specialists Langner Communications have released a more detailed analysis of how Stuxnet manipulates PLCs on its Web site According to this analysis the worm injects arbitrary code when transmitting blocks of code to the PLC To compromise data transmissions it diverts the data via a wrapper DLL before submitting it to the SIMATIC Device Operating Systemrsquos original s7otbxdxdll library for processing Source httpwwwh-onlinecomsecuritynewsitemStuxnet-also-found-at-industrial-plants-in-Germany-1081469html

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

51 September 20 Associated Press ndash (New Mexico) Water main break leads to Internet outage in Alq A water main break has shut down Internet and phone service in portions of northwest Albuquerque New Mexico Qwest said almost 100 Albuquerque homes and businesses will be without service through September 21 The water main break at a Qwest office near 4th Street and Griegos Road is to blame A Qwest spokesman said service should be fully restored by the morning of September 21 at the latest Source httpwwwnewswest9comGlobalstoryaspS=13183405

52 September 18 Binghamton Press amp Sun-Bulletin ndash (New York) Vestal crash takes out Time Warner cable Internet Thousands of Time Warner cable and Internet customers were without service for most of the day and night September 18 after a car crash downed a utility pole along Vestal Parkway near Binghamton University in

- 21 -

Vestal New York Two teenagers were unhurt in the accident which took place at 1126 am The accident damaged a Time Warner Cable fiber optics line knocking out cable and Internet service to most neighborhoods west of the crash Outages were reported in Vestal Endicott Endwell and the Town of Union It is not known how many customers were affected and when their cable service would be restored Customer service lines to Time Warner in Vestal were continuously busy throughout the day September 18 As many as 12 linemen from Time Warner remained on the scene throughout the day trying to repair the severed fiber optics line that supplies cable television and high-speed Internet services to thousands of customers in the Binghamton region Source httpwwwpressconnectscomarticle20100918NEWS011009180021112Vestal-crash-takes-out-Time-Warner-cable--Internet

53 September 17 United Press International ndash (International) Rogue satellite still lsquotalkingrsquo An uncontrollable satellite drifting in orbit did not shut itself down as predicted and is posing signal interference risk to other satellites experts said Intelsatrsquos Galaxy 15 communications satellite dubbed the ldquozombie satelliterdquo lost contact with its controllers in April but is stuck ldquoonrdquo and continues to transmit signals as its operators on Earth work to avoid potential interference with other nearby spacecraft SPACEcom reported September 17 Intelsat engineers had estimated that the satellite would lose power and shut itself off in late August but that has not happened Intelsat officials said there is no risk of it physically colliding with other spacecraft so their teamrsquos main focus is preventing Galaxy 15rsquos signals from interfering with neighboring satellites The 4171-pound satellite went rogue April 5 when it stopped responding to controllers on the ground but maintained an active payload with its telecommunications transmitter still functioning Several attempts to shut down Galaxy 15 have failed leaving the defunct satellite stuck drifting in space and still ldquotalkingrdquo Source httpwwwspacemartcomreportsRogue_satellite_still_talking_999html

[Return to top]

Commercial Facilities Sector

54 September 19 KMGH 7 Denver ndash (Colorado) Man arrested bomb hoax forces Golden Hotel evacuation A 19-year-old Golden Colorado man was arrested in connection with the suspicious device ldquoresembling a bombrdquo that was found in a stairwell in the Golden Hotel September 19 forcing the evacuation of about 40 guests However the suspect was released pending a decision on whether to file charges by the Jefferson County District Attorneyrsquos Office police said The Jefferson County sheriffrsquos bomb squad responded to the scene and deployed a robot at one point The suspicious device was determined to be a hoax and was removed from the hotel Guests were then allowed to go back into the hotel Source httpwwwthedenverchannelcomnews25077327detailhtml

- 22 -

55 September 18 McDonough County Voice ndash (Illinois) Hotel evacuated after meth lab found A Macomb Illinois hotel was evacuated September 16 after an anonymous tip led to the discovery of a methamphetamine lab in one of the rooms A search warrant was obtained for the room and officers discovered a ldquoworkingrdquo methamphetamine lab which the Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Team (ISP-MRT) confirmed was active Officers made contact with the roomrsquos two occupants and then seized 864 grams of methamphetamine and 38 grams of heroin both packaged for delivery a 380 caliber handgun and ammunition syringes less than 25 grams of marijuana digital scales packaging material and a spring-loaded stiletto knife Officers placed the pair under arrest secured the room and took two children ages 1 and 3 who were in the room into temporary protective custody The motel was evacuated and the Macomb Fire Department stood by until the ISP-MRT removed the lab Source httpwwwmcdonoughvoicecomnewsx1685470989Hotel-evacuated-after-meth-lab-found

56 September 18 San Diego Union-Tribune ndash (California) Copycat suicide Toxic fumes in car A man apparently killed himself with toxic fumes inside his car after posting warning signs in the windows September 18 in Carmel Mountain California in a copycat suicide of an incident in August San Diego police said Officers found the 46-year-old Mira Mesa manrsquos body in his car which was parked in the back corner of a strip mall parking lot on Carmel Mountain Road Police evacuated the skate park as a precaution cordoned off the parking lot and called the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and a hazardous materials crew The manrsquos family called police about 330 pm to report that he had been missing since noon September 17 a police lieutenant said His cell phone signal led officers to the strip mall about 5 pm where they found the car with hand-written warning signs taped to the windows The man had used common household chemicals which combined filled the car with toxic gas Hazardous materials crews removed the items On August 14 a man committed suicide by creating a lethal hydrogen sulfide gas from common chemicals in his car at Black Mountain Park in Rancho Penasquitos The man put a sign in his dashboard that said ldquoDonrsquot open Call hazmat or 911rdquo The police lieutenant said he did some research after the first incident and learned this method of suicide had become prevalent in Japan and now has spread to several cases across the United States Source httpwwwsignonsandiegocomnews2010sep18copycat-suicide-toxic-fumes-car

57 September 17 WTVF 5 Nashville ndash (Tennessee) Businesses evacuated during bomb scare in Hohenwald Police said a man walked into a business in Hohenwald Tennessee with a briefcase and said he had a bomb The scare forced evacuations of 15 nearby businesses Hohenwald police called Columbiarsquos bomb squad into action They arrived with their robot and opened the briefcase but found nothing but papers The man with the briefcase was charged with resisting arrest disturbing the peace and carrying a prohibited weapon Source httpwwwnewschannel5comGlobalstoryaspS=13176190

- 23 -

[Return to top]

National Monuments and Icons Sector

58 September 20 Denver Post ndash (Colorado) Fire in Rocky Mountain National Park under control Fire crews brought a 40-acre grass fire under control on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado late September 19 after the blaze had closed a portion of Trail Ridge Road The Onahu fire mdash north of Grand Lake mdash started in grass along Trail Ridge Road September 19 a RMNP spokesman said The blaze posed no threat to campgrounds structures or visitors Trail Ridge Road was reopened about noon September 19 to one-lane traffic with an escort Park officials were considering increasing fire restrictions which are now at Level 1 the level set throughout the year The current restrictions allow fires only in developed campgrounds and picnic sites designated for campfires and in some backcountry sites where there are fire rings Source httpwwwdenverpostcomnewsci_16119843

59 September 18 KCRA 3 Sacramento ndash (California) Wildfires Burn In Eldorado National Forest Two active wildfires were burning in Eldorado National Forest in Sacramento California September 18 officials said The ldquoBlack Firerdquo on the Ralston Ridge area had burned 10 acres while the ldquoPoint Firerdquo had burned 2 acres Seven fire engines and four helicopters were fighting the blazes which were 0 percent contained No structures were destroyed and there were no injuries but a power line and two campgrounds were threatened Officials expected a Pacific frontal system moving across Northern California to possibly bring rain September 18 and 19 The causes of the fires were under investigation Source httpwwwkcracomnews25069288detailhtml

60 September 18 Eureka Times-Standard ndash (California) Cleaning up the mess US Forest Service picks up what marijuana growers leave behind US Forest Service crews from the Lower Trinity Ranger District removed more than 10 cubic yards of trash this week from six abandoned marijuana grow sites in remote areas of Six Rivers National Forest near Willow Creek California According to a press release it is a common occurrence A helicopter September 16 was used to transport large amounts of trash garden hoses propane tanks insecticides and other waste from old grow sites to be disposed of properly The use of herbicides pesticides and poisons can cause extensive long-term damage to natural resources and impact public drinking water for hundreds of miles according to the release Additionally the operations can destroy timber vegetation and wildlife habitats as well as divert needed water from watersheds streams and public drinking water supplies With hunting season quickly approaching the forest service is warning that more members of the public may be stumbling upon remote active or inactive marijuana growing operations in the forest Source httpwwwtimes-standardcomlocalnewsci_16110426

[Return to top]

- 24 -

Dams Sector

61 September 18 Associated Press ndash (District of Columbia) Work set to begin on National Mall levee system The US Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $46 million contract to improve a levee system that would help protect downtown Washington DC and the National Mall from river flooding Officials announced September 17 that work will finally begin in October with completion in 2011 In 2008 the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued new maps declaring much of downtown Washington a flood zone That could have led to stricter building codes and insurance requirements But FEMA rescinded those maps after DC officials pledged to build an improved levee system by the end of 2009 Work will begin about 1 year late It will tackle a major weakness in the levee at 17th Street on the mall with a new removable barrier system to be used during a flood The contract was awarded to Hirani Engineering and Land Surveying of Jericho New York Source httpwwwwtopcomnid=25ampsid=2056244

62 September 17 American Rivers ndash (Oregon) Itrsquos official Removing Klamath Dams saves money for power customers On September 17 the Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC) mdash the Oregon agency charged with protecting utility customers mdash formally ruled after months of investigation that the proposed Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA) is indeed in the best interests of PacifiCorp ratepayers as well as the cheapest alternative for the company The basis of the commissionrsquos official finding is the significant cost savings of dam removal over retrofitting and relicensing The KHSA would lead to the removal of four dams on the Klamath River in 2020 pending environmental reviews and approval by the Secretary of Interior The only other alternative is a much more expensive relicensing proceeding through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the federal agency which licenses dams which the commission found will likely cost PacifiCorprsquos customers far more money than dam removal Source httpwwwcommondreamsorgnewswire20100917-0

[Return to top]

- 25 -

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