FW: NIPC Daily Report, 01 November 2001

From: Goerling, Richard J. LT (TAD to CGIC Portland) (RIGoerling@private)
Date: Thu Nov 01 2001 - 07:53:47 PST

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    From: NIPC Watch [mailto:nipc.watch@private]
    Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2001 7:32 AM
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    Subject: NIPC Daily Report, 01 November 2001
    
    
    NIPC Daily Report, 01 November 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 - On 30 October, a New York Times network administrator
    said in an internal e-mail that the company's Internet connection was
    "interrupted by a storm of data," and that the "denial of service"
    activity may have been a deliberate attack.  However, on 31 October, The
    Times Chief Information Officer, Michael Williams reported, in a second
    inter-company e-mail,  the mysterious "storm of data'' was actually a
    re-emergence of the Nimda computer virus  on 31 October obtained by
    Reuters."We have secured a  "fix" for this virus which cleanses the
    infected machines," Williams said in the e-mail. A company spokeswoman
    confirmed that internal Internet access at the Times was functioning
    normally as of 31 October.  (Source: Reuters, 31 October)
    
    International -  The Brazilian Army's Internet site was defaced early on
    22 October.  The hackers added to the site a "convocation" for youths
    born between 1982 and 1983 to enlist "urgently" to "fight for the nation
    by helping United States Army troops".   The defacement forced the Army
    to remove the site from the air.   The page was again available in the
    afternoon of 22 October and is being monitored.  Officials are
    investigating those responsible for the defacement.  A group called "Men
    in Hack" allegedly prepared the message.  (Source:  Sao Paulo O Estado
    de Sao Paulo, 31 October)
    
    Hackers have set up a Web site supplying false information under the
    name of the World Trade Organization (WTO).  The Web site, www.gatt.org,
    which takes its name from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade,
    the group that preceded the WTO, is an exact copy of the official WTO
    Web site in terms of logo and design, but provides distorted texts.
    The organization warned, "Be vigilant if you visit this site as it
    contains features designed to obtain your e-mail address which can then
    send you false information in the name of the WTO."  The Web site has
    existed for years, the WTO said, issuing the alert nine days before its
    ministerial meeting in Doha, Qatar.  (Source:  Paris AFP, 31 October)
    
    Government - A federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Maryland has returned a
    four-count indictment charging offenses relating to the November 2000
    attack on the computers of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee
    (AIPAC).  The indictment charged Misbah Khan alos known as "Doctornuker"
    of Karachi, Pakistan with hacking into AIPAC's computer server in Silver
    Spring, Maryland on November 1, 2000.  He defaced the web page, took and
    posted confidential computer credit card account information, resulting
    in unlawful use of the credit card accounts.  "Doctornuker" was recently
    identified as Misbah Khan by the FBI computer crime squad with the
    assistance of the FBI legal office or "legat" at the US Embassy in
    Islamabad, Pakistan. FBI said that the investigation demonstrates that
    "computer hackers often leave behind a more elaborate trail of evidence
    than they realize." (Source: USDOJ/FBI, October 2001)
    
    U.S. SECTOR INFORMATION:
    
    Water Supply - On 30 October, US Sen. Jim Jeffords, I-VT, and US Rep.
    Sherwood Boehlert, R-NY, introduced legislation to authorize funds for
    research on how to protect water supply systems.  The two bills would
    each authorize $12 million per year for the US Environmental Protection
    Agency (EPA) from fiscal year 2002 through 2007.  The money would be
    used to provide grants to public and private non-profit entities to
    conduct research and development projects, the congressmen said in a
    statement.  Projects could include efforts to prevent, detect or respond
    to physical and cyber threats to water supply or wastewater treatment
    systems.  (Source:  Water Technology Online, 31 October)
    
    Electrical Power - Nuclear power plants, already on high alert, have
    beefed up security even more in light of this week's new terrorist
    alert, and at least seven states, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts,
    Connecticut, Arizona, Kansas and Missouri are using National Guard
    troops to help secure reactors.  Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge
    told governors in a conference call they ought to consider the added
    police protection to help private security guards. Many of them did so
    immediately, according to spot checks by The Associated Press.   But
    along with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Ridge left the decision on
    using the military up to the governors.  Federal officials as well as
    industry spokesmen emphasized that there has not been a specific threat
    against any of the country's 103 power reactors.  (Souce: Associated
    Press, 1 November)
    



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