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

DIR10-005 - January 8, 2010

News

CCIRC releases advisory AV10-001: USB Flash Drive Password Validation Flaw Lets Local Users Bypass Access Controls
On January 7, Public Safety Canada's Canadian Cyber Incident Response Centre (CCIRC) released advisory AV10-001 to bring attention to a vulnerability that affects “secure” USB flash drives, affecting multiple vendors. Local users can bypass access controls to access data on USB flash drives. A German security firm declared that it is possible to modify the access control software to allow unauthorized access to local attackers. CCIRC recommends that administrators identify affected products, assess the need to update and identify potential dependencies regarding “secure” USB flash drives.
Source article - Public Safety Canada, January 7, 2010

PHAC releases surveillance update for H1N1 flu virus associated deaths
Further to Public Safety Canada Daily Infrastructure Report DIR09-250, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) issued an update on the number of deaths associated with the H1N1 flu virus in Canada. PHAC indicated that between December 30 and January 7, 6 new deaths were reported across Canada: 1 in B.C., 2 in Quebec and 3 in Newfoundland and Labrador. The total cumulative deaths associated to the H1N1 flu virus in Canada is now 416.
Source article – Public Health Agency of Canada, January 7, 2010

PHAC provides more information about H1N1 flu virus, a weekly FluWatch report and an H1N1 preparedness guide.

Pilot project launched for year-round ferry service between Newfoundland and Labrador
On January 7, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced a pilot project of providing a year-round ferry service between Newfoundland and Labrador, across the Strait of Belle Isle. The regular service by the MV Apollo will continue to operate between St. Barbe and Blanc Sablon until January 31, or until ice and weather conditions permit. It will then be taken out of service on February 1 for approximately eight weeks to undergo its annual refit. During this time, the MV Sir Robert Bond will provide the ferry service. Upon the return of the MV Apollo, the MV Sir Robert Bond will be taken out of service for its annual refit. Service provided during this pilot project will be subject to suitable ice and weather conditions. It will involve an additional provincial government investment of approximately $1.5 million.
Source article – Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, January 7, 2010

NOAA’s National Hurricane Center to provide greater lead time in watches and warnings
On January 5, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that it will issue watches and warnings for tropical storms and hurricanes along threatened coastal areas 12 hours earlier than in previous years. Advancements in track forecasts are making it possible for forecasters to provide greater lead time. Tropical storm watches will be issued when tropical storm conditions are possible along the coast within 48 hours. Tropical storm warnings will be issued when those conditions are expected within 36 hours. Hurricane watches and warnings will generally be timed to provide 48 and 36 hours notice respectively. These changes will go into effect for the 2010 hurricane season, which begins on May 15 in the Eastern Pacific and on June 1 for the Atlantic Basin.
Source article - NOAA, January 5, 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 has not detected any new significant threats or vulnerabilities. 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

 
 

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.