-----Original Message----- From: NIPC Watch To: daily Sent: 10/2/01 8:43 AM Subject: NIPC Daily Report for 02 October 2001 NIPC Daily Report for 02 October 2001 NOTE: Please understand that this is for informational purposes only and does not constitute any verification of the information contained in the report nor does this constitute endorsement by the NIPC or the FBI. Significant Changes and Assessment - NTR Private Sector - Cyberangels, an offshoot of the Guardian Angels group that patrol city neighborhoods to prevent crime, has launched an effort to protect the Internet from hackers angry at Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden. The group has produced a series of televised public service ads, set to begin airing next week, aimed at convincing computer hackers to stop defacing Web sites they find objectionable. (Source: InfoSec News, 1 October) The ICANN, the Internet's top standards-setting body, plans to focus on security of the Domain Naming System (DNS) at its November meeting, pushing aside the issue of new domain names temporarily. The ICANN CEO said that the 11 September attacks are the main cause for this. The domain-name-system is too important for all electronic transfers to just keep it unprotected. Though specific topics for the meeting have not been set yet, ICANN has announced the main topic will be making certain that the DNS infrastructure is not vulnerable to cyber attacks and cyber terrorism. (Source: SecurityWatch, 1 October) Government - The FBI is teaming with the computer industry to help American companies and regular Internet users prevent the 20 worst computer threats from the Code Red worm to the Melissa virus. The FBI also announced on 1 October it is putting computer security tips for home users on the National Infrastructure Protection Center's Web site with the intention of making it a one-stop shop for home users confused by most security terms. The tips include using updated anti-virus software and being suspicious of e-mail attachments. All the recent Internet viruses took advantage of well-known program vulnerabilities, and the government hopes to get users and companies to patch them before the next virus appears. (Source: Associated Press, 1 October) (NIPC Comment: The Seven Simple Security Tips can be viewed at and the Sans/FBI Top 20 list can be viewed at www.sans.org/top20) International - Japan's coastguard service said on 2 October it had taken unprecedented steps to tighten security at nuclear reactors around the country in response to last month's devastating attacks on the United States. A spokesman for the Maritime Safety Agency said undisclosed numbers of coastguard patrol vessels had been mobilized in waters near the country's 51 nuclear reactors on a round-the-clock mission to guard against possible "terrorist attacks." Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi last week called for tighter security at nuclear reactors, most of which are on the coast. Japanese officials have voiced fears that the country's reactors could become targets of terror attacks. Trade Minster Takeo Hiranuma, whose ministry is in charge of energy policy, plans to hold drills later this year on the northern island of Hokkaido on how to respond to attacks. (Source: Reuters, 2 October) Local hackers broke into the Hungarian National Security Office's (NSO) Internet site late on 1 October, and published anti-globalization remarks aimed at the United States. "Why shouldn't we be understanding toward the Arabs, millions of whom die in the desert, but if a few thousand...die in the US, there is a huge uproar," said the hacked page with the title "Bin Laden vs. Bush 1-0." Newspapers quoted NSO Director-General Gabor Dobokay as saying the office's original site has since been restored and the hackers could not have accessed the NSO's secret files, as the Web server was not linked to the office's internal network. (Source: Reuters, 2 October) Military - NTR U.S. SECTOR INFORMATION: Electrical Power - Office buildings and street lights across portions of downtown Washington, including the Justice Department and the FBI, lost power briefly on 2 October after failures at two power substations. The outages occurred when two PepCo substations went off-line, said spokesman Bob Dobkin. The utility was investigating to see what caused the problem, but it was not a result of a terrorist attack, he added. It took only a few minutes for PepCo to restore power to most of the area, although some buildings were without electricity longer because they had to turn circuit breakers back on manually, Dobkin said. (Source: Associated Press, 2 October) Emergency Services - Despite surging demand following the 11 September attacks, the 1 October FCC-mandated deadline for "enhanced 911" services passed without any mobile phone carrier implementing the technology. Citing a lack of equipment, complexities regarding differing standards and/or exorbitant costs to implement the system, which would enable emergency dispatchers to pinpoint the location of local cell phone callers, every major carrier filed a temporary waiver. Facts about the E-911 requirement are at the following url: http://www.fcc.gov/e911/factsheet_requirements_012001.txt . (Source: Wired News, 2 October) Gas and Oil Storage Distribution - House lawmakers are expected this week to urge the Bush administration to buy more oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to protect against any disruptions in oil supplies caused by US military action after the 11 September attacks. Rep. Joe Barton, a Texas Republican and chairman of the House Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee, is behind the plan for the administration to take advantage of current low oil prices and boost supply in the nation's emergency stockpile. The reserve, set up in the mid-1970s after the Arab oil embargo, holds 545 million barrels at several sites in Texas and Louisiana. It has room for up to 700 million barrels. The House Energy and Commerce Committee, of which Barton is a member, is set to vote 4 October on a non-binding resolution that simply urges the White House to begin filling up the reserve, a Barton aide said. (Source: Reuters, 1 October) Water Supply - Federal and city officials are investigating a report that a white powdery substance may have fallen from a small plane on 1 October into a Tulsa water reservoir. Clayton Edwards, deputy director of environmental operations for the city of Tulsa, said several fishermen reported seeing a substance coming out of a small plane flying over Lake Yahola. Lake Yahola has been out of use since the summer because of excessive amounts of naturally occurring algae in the water, Edwards said. There was no visible evidence of fish kills on 1 October, he said. The water looked normal and people continued to fish. Lake Spavinaw feeds the reservoir. (Source: Associated Press, 2 October) Government Services - NTR Banking and Finance - NTR Transportation - NTR Telecommunications - NTR
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