Home PSEPC Daily Brief DOB06-018

Daily Brief

The PSEPC Daily Brief is a compilation of summaries of publicly available and PSEPC information concerning critical infrastructure protection and emergency management.

DOB06-018 - 26 January 2006

News

Alberta cow infected with BSE: Update
Further to PSEPC Daily Brief DOB06-016, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), 25 cattle from the affected animal’s birth farm have been tested for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE); all animals have tested negative. This group included 24 cattle born on the birth farm 12 months before or after the affected animal and a recently born offspring of the affected animal. The CFIA is currently tracing the whereabouts and disposition of other animals of interest. A feed investigation is progressing at the farm, as well as at the retail and manufacturing levels.
(Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 25 January 2006)
Source article

The CFIA provides more information on BSE in North America.

In brief

Avian Influenza: Update
On January 25, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the Ministry of Health in China has confirmed the country's 10th case of human infection with the avian influenza virus. The victim, a 29-year-old woman from the south-central province of Sichuan, is China's 7th fatality due to avian influenza.

Since 2003, WHO has confirmed a total of 152 human cases with the H5N1 avian influenza, including 83 deaths.
(Source: World Health Organization, 25 January 2006)
Source article
Source article

The Public Health Agency of Canada provides more information on avian influenza.

Cyber risk assessment

Over the course of the past 24 hours, the Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre (CCIRC) has not detected any significant new threats or vulnerabilities. However, CCIRC is tracking an e-mail worm known as BlackWorm/Nyxem/Blackmal/Blueworm/Grew, which is scheduled to delete certain file types on 3 February 2006. This worm is getting increased attention because of its rapid spread, which is mainly due to computers that do not have updated anti-virus signatures. It is also affecting machines that have already been infected by other malware, causing anti-virus programs to be modified. A computer that has already been infected by a worm, which has a payload that will turn off anti-virus protection, is vulnerable to this type of worm. If a user is unaware that they are already infected, then they are operating under the assumption that their anti-virus program is protecting their computer, when in fact they are really operating with no anti-virus protection. This worm relies on social engineering to propagate; specifically, the user must click on a link or open an attached file.

No significant incidents with the potential to affect critical infrastructure have been reported. Accordingly, based on the information available to CCIRC, the cyber risk facing Canadian critical infrastructure is assessed as low. Personnel responsible for information, systems and network security should continue to apply appropriate security precautions and monitor their systems.

See also...

• The Weather Office
• FAC - Travel Updates

Note to readers

Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC) collects information related to cyber and physical threats to, and incidents involving, Canadian critical infrastructure. This allows us to monitor and analyze threats and to issue alerts, advisories and other information products.

Any suspected criminal activity should be reported to local law enforcement organizations. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) National Operations Centre (NOC) provides a 24/7 service to receive such reports or to redirect callers to local law enforcement organizations. The NOC can be reached at (613) 993-4460. National security concerns should be reported to the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) at (613) 993-9620.

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