Public Safety Canada Daily Infrastructure Report
The Public Safety Canada Daily Infrastructure Report is a compilation of summaries of publicly available emergency management information concerning critical infrastructure.
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News | Cyber tracking | Relevant links | Note to readers
DIR10-138 - July 20, 2010
News
Study indicates that H1N1 shot averted nearly one million cases
On July 19-20, media reported that according to new Canadian research, approximately one million cases of H1N1 and 52 deaths were prevented in Ontario as a result of the mass immunization campaign. The study, by the University of Toronto, estimated that the H1N1 flu shots prevented approximately 420 hospitalizations, 28,000 visits to hospital emergency departments and 100,000 visits to a doctor's office in Ontario. The researchers of the study predicted that without a mass flu vaccine program, 4.1 million cases of flu would have occurred in Ontario.
Source article - Ottawa Citizen, July 20, 2010
Source article – Cyberpresse, July 19, 2010
Government of Canada strengthens sovereignty with acquisition of Joint Strike Fighter
On July 16, the Government of Canada announced it is acquiring the fifth generation Joint Strike Fighter F-35 aircraft as part of the Canada First Defence Policy, a modernization initiative aimed at increasing the capability of the Canadian Forces (CF) to protect the safety and security of Canadians, while supporting foreign policy and national security objectives. The acquisition of the F-35 helps the CF defend against the threats of the 21st century at home, across vast distances and in harsh environmental conditions, and abroad.
Source article – National Defence, July 16, 2010
Security experts closely monitoring spread of new zero-day threat
On July 19-20, media reported that security experts are closely monitoring a zero-day flaw being used in targeted attacks against organizations worldwide, most notably on SCADA systems. Security experts are concerned that the threat could spread further. Concerns about additional attacks using the so-called "LNK" vulnerability in Windows machines via USB devices and fileshares prompted the SANS Internet Storm Center today to raise its Infocon alert level to "yellow," up from "green" (normal status).
SANS decision to elevate the alert level was to help raise awareness of the vulnerability, which Microsoft officially revealed on Friday after security researchers reported finding new malware samples that could infect a Windows 7 machine via an infected USB drive. SANS' yellow alert indicates that it is tracking a significant, new threat, and that users should take "immediate specific action" to contain any impact of the threat.
Source article – Techworld, July 20, 2010
Source article – DarkReading, July 19, 2010
Home routers vulnerable
On July 15, DarkReading reported that a security researcher with Maryland-based security consultancy Seismic will demonstrate, at the Black Hat conference in July, an exploit that could work on as many as half of the home routers currently in use. The researcher also plans to release a software tool that he says could be used on most Linksys, Dell, and Verizon Fios or DSL router versions.
Source article – DarkReading, July 15, 2010
Cyber tracking
CCIRC security publications
Over the course of the past 24 hours, CCIRC has not released any security publications.
CCIRC provides a list of recent and archived security publications.
Threat and vulnerability monitoring
CCIRC is currently tracking the following computer-based threats and vulnerabilities for relevant impact on Canadian critical infrastructure. Personnel responsible for information, systems and network security should continue to monitor and apply appropriate security precautions.
Relevant links
Below are links to sites related to Canada’s critical infrastructure.
- Food Recalls and Allergy Alerts
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- Health Advisories, Warnings and Recalls
Health Canada
- Disease Outbreak News
World Health Organization
- Travel Health Notices
Public Health Agency of Canada
- Transportation - Safety
Transport Canada
- Travel Reports and Warnings
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Weather warnings for Canada
Environment Canada
- Earthquakes
Earthquakes Canada
- Hurricanes
Canadian Hurricane Centre
- Hurricanes
U.S. National Hurricane Center
- News Releases
Infrastructure Canada
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Note to readers
Public Safety Canada collects information related to cyber and physical threats to, and events concerning, Canadian critical infrastructure. This allows Public Safety Canada to monitor and analyze threats and to issue alerts, advisories and other information products.
Links to sites not under the control of the Government of Canada are provided solely for the convenience of users. The Government of Canada is not responsible for the accuracy, currency or the reliability of the content. The Government of Canada does not offer any guarantee in that regard and is not responsible for the information found through these links, nor does it endorse the sites and their content.
Public Safety Canada respects the Official Languages Act and is committed to ensuring that information products are available in both English and French. However, users should be aware that some links direct users to sites of organizations or other entities that are not subject to the Official Languages Act and that these sources are only available in the language in which they are written.