WEEKLY THREAT ROUNDUP 5-14-17

From AlertsUSA

Ransomware collage - ALLOW IMAGES

100+ Nations Impacted by Ransomware Attack


DNI Warns of Expanding Terror Threat

 

May 13, 2017

 

Between May 11-12, AlertsUSA issued the following
related Flash message to subscriber mobile devices:

5/12 – Dept. of Homeland Security statement regarding ongoing global ransomware attack has been sent to AlertsUSA subscribers via email.

5/12 – Security services rpt ransomware attack has spread to ~70 countries, incl US. Best defense: Do not open unknown links or email atts.., update AV software.

5/12 – Expanding malware / ransom-ware attack underway on gov & private entities in UK & Spain. Large portions of UK Nat’l Health Service impacted. Monitoring…

5/11 – Dir. of Nat’l Intelligence warns Islamic State “will continue to be an active terrorist threat to the U.S…. proven ability to direct and inspire attacks.”

What You Need To Know

On multiple occasions this week AlertsUSA subscribers were notified via SMS messages to their mobile devices of security threats. Most pressing for this report, on Friday, subscribers were notified of a rapidly expanding ransomware attack initially impacting computers the United Kingdom and Spain. The malicious software locks up the machine and flashes a message demanding payment in exchange for an unlock code to release the user’s data. In this case, ransom demands are reported to begin at $300 and increase after two hours to $400, $500 and then $600. The only method of payment is via the digital currency known as Bitcoin. The malware behind the onslaught appears to exploit a known vulnerability in Microsoft Windows. Although this vulnerability has been patched, an untold number of government, business and personal computer users do not bother to keep their operating system and antivirus software up to date.

At the time of this report’s preparation late Friday, the attack was reported to have infected tens of thousands of computers across more than 100 countries, though the spread is reported to have been temporarily halted after computer security experts effectively blocked a URL referenced in the program code.

It is extremely important for readers to understand that those who originally released this ransomware can very easily change this line of code, then begin the onslaught anew.

According to the a statement issued by the Dept. of Homeland Security, Microsoft released a patch in March that addresses this specific vulnerability, and installing this patch will help secure your systems from the threat.

The Department of Homeland Security and AlertsUSA both strongly encourage those using Windows-based computers at you home or place of employment to update your systems to include the latest security patches and virus definitions for your antiviral software. Secondly, do not click on or download unfamiliar links or files in emails. If your not expecting it or it comes from any unknown source, delete it. Finally, backing up your core file collection is crucial.

DNI Worldwide Threat Assessment

On Thursday of this week Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats delivered the annual Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S. intelligence community to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI). Despite this being an unclassified briefing (with closed sessions revealing significantly more unsettling detail), the report still paints a sobering outlook of the dangers facing the U.S.:

Terrorism

  • US-based homegrown violent extremists (HVEs) will remain the most frequent and unpredictable Sunni violent extremist threat to the US homeland. They will be spurred on by terrorist groups’ public calls to carry out attacks in the West. The threat of HVE attacks will persist, and some attacks will probably occur with little or no warning. In 2016, 16 HVEs were arrested, and three died in attacks against civilian soft targets. Those detained were arrested for a variety of reasons, including attempting travel overseas for jihad and plotting attacks in the United States. In addition to the HVE threat, a small number of foreign based Sunni violent extremist groups will also pose a threat to the US homeland and continue publishing multilingual propaganda that calls for attacks against US and Western interests in the US homeland and abroad.
  • The Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) continues to pose an active terrorist threat to the United States and its allies because of its ideological appeal, media presence, control of territory in Iraq and Syria, its branches and networks in other countries, and its proven ability to direct and inspire attacks against a wide range of targets around the world.
  • Outside Iraq and Syria, ISIS is seeking to foster interconnectedness among its global branches and networks, align their efforts to ISIS’s strategy, and withstand counter-ISIS efforts. We assess that ISIS maintains the intent and capability to direct, enable, assist, and inspire transnational attacks. The number of foreign fighters traveling to join ISIS in Iraq and Syria will probably continue to decline as potential recruits face increasing difficulties attempting to travel there. The number of ISIS foreign fighters leaving Iraq and Syria might increase. Increasing departures would very likely prompt additional would-be fighters to look for new battlefields or return to their home countries to conduct or support external operations.

North Korea

  • North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missile programs will continue to pose a serious threat to US interests and to the security environment in East Asia in 2017. North Korea’s export of ballistic missiles and associated materials to several countries, including Iran and Syria, and its assistance to Syria’s construction of a nuclear reactor, destroyed in 2007, illustrate its willingness to proliferate dangerous technologies.
  • North Korea has also expanded the size and sophistication of its ballistic missile forces—from close range ballistic missiles (CRBMs) to ICBMs—and continues to conduct test launches. In 2016, North Korea conducted an unprecedented number of ballistic missile tests. Pyongyang is committed to developing a long-range, nuclear-armed missile that is capable of posing a direct threat to the United States; it has publicly displayed its road-mobile ICBMs on multiple occasions. We assess that North Korea has taken steps toward fielding an ICBM but has not flight-tested it.

Laptop / Tablet Ban Looming

In March of this year AlertsUSA reported on new restrictions surrounding the different types of electronic devices allowed in the cabins of non-stop US-bound flights from eight Muslim-majority countries.

Last week we reported that sources within DHS/TSA informed AlertsUSA the ban would likely be expanded to some U.S.-bound flights from Europe in the coming months.

This week, the story appeared in the broader media indicating DHS may be announcing an expansion of the ban to include laptops/tablets in the cabins of ALL flights from Europe to the United States. It is also reported federal officials have already met with major U.S. airlines and at least one trade group to discuss the ban.

AlertsUSA continues to monitor the overall domestic and international threat environment and will immediately notify service subscribers via SMS messages of new alerts, warnings and advisories or any developments which signal a change the overall threat picture for American citizens as events warrant.


AlertsUSA.com

OTHER ALERTS FROM THIS WEEK
NOT DETAILED IN THIS NEWSLETTER ISSUE

5/9 – AlertsUSA monitoring evacuation order issued at DOE Hanford nuclear site flwg tunnel collapse at plutonium finishing plant. Addl alerts as warranted.

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An AH-64D Apache attack helicopter flies in front of a wall of fire during the South Carolina National Guard Air and Ground Expo at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C., May 6, 2017. - ALLOW IMAGES

World News Roundup

May 13, 2017

Other Developments We Are Following

AMERICAS

Lincoln is First Carrier Equipped to Carry the F-35C Stealth Fighter
Spy Chief Searching for Cuts Across Entire US Intelligence Community
The First Signs Of A National Mobilization For War Are Appearing
SECDEF Mattis to hold ‘major’ ISIS press conference next week: POTUS
American al Qaeda member turned informant avoids long sentence
Venezuelans face severe food shortage
Brazil ends state of emergency over Zika virus
CIA director warns of Venezuela weapons transfers

EUROPE

Russian fighter jet comes with 20 feet of US Navy aircraft, official says
The danger of resetting relations with Russia
Kremlin says may retaliate against USA over expulsion of Russian diplomats
IMF, eurozone still at loggerheads over Greece.
Anxiety mounts as Italy moves to get more migrants out.
Merkel: Germany stands by NATO spending pledge despite SPD doubts
The Russian embassy in London gleefully trolls the West on Twitter

MIDDLE EAST

Israel plans for President Trump’s visit.
Hezbollah presence in Syria a big threat to Israel, Dunford says
The Pentagon would consider sending more US troops to Somalia
Officials: Troop buildup in Jordan is not for an invasion of southern Syria
The Future of Iran’s Militant Proxies in Iraq
SDF: Final push on ISIL’s Raqqa ‘likely next month’.
‘Noose Around the Neck of ISIS’ as Carrier Airstrikes Move South
We Will Definitely Not Lose Any Guns To ISIS, U.S. Military Says

ASIA

CIA Director Sees Nothing To ‘Make Us Feel Better About’ North Korea –
France leads Guam military exercises amid China Sea fears
Satellite image shows Chinese deployment of new aircraft to South China Sea
Duterte follows Xi’s lead with military build-up in South China Sea
Analyst: U.S., North Korea must negotiate before next nuclear test
In global appeal, North Korea urges states not to enforce U.N. sanctions
China is stepping up its game in emerging Asia as US pulls back
U.S. complains to China about North Korea’s attendance at Silk Road summit
US intelligence: Afghanistan will ‘almost certainly’ deteriorate.
Philippines-China tensions simmer over underwater plateau
North Korea wants South Korea to extradite spy chief


ARM YOURSELF WITH KNOWLEDGE
USING THESE FREE REFERENCES

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DEADLY VERSES - ALLOW IMAGESSEX, WOMEN AND ISLAM - ALLOW IMAGES 

 

DEADLY VERSES
164 Passages about Jihad from the Koran


SEX, WOMEN AND ISLAM
80 Passages on Rape, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Female Inferiority,
Wife Beating and Related Doctrines from Islamic Holy Texts


Travel Security Update

The U.S. Dept. of State is the authoritative federal source for information on the security situation at travel destinations worldwide. With tensions rapidly increasing in most regions, readers planning on international travel, even to such common destinations as Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean Islands, are strongly encouraged to do a little research on the security situation prior to departure.

Latest USGOV Travel Alerts and Warnings

Yemen
05/10/2017

North Korea
05/09/2017

Tunesia
05/02/2017

Europe
05/01/2017

Pakistan
04/12/2017

Israel, W. Bank, Gaza
04/11/2017

Niger
04/11/2017

Kenya
04/06/2017

Nigeria
04/05/2017

Worldwide Caution

03/06/2017

Additional Sources of Travel Guidance

Canada Dept. of Foreign Affairs

Australia Dept. of Foreign Affairs

UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office

 

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Via: threatjournal


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