A computer virus first detected nearly two weeks ago by the military’s Host-Based Security System has infected the cockpits of America’s Predator and Reaper drones. This computer virus entails the capability of logging pilots’ every key stoke as they remotely fly missions over Afghanistan and other pertinent war zones. Network security specialist commented the virus has resisted multiple efforts in removal from the Creech’s computers and the infection underlies the ongoing security risks in the U.S. military’s most important weapons system. “We keep wiping it off, and it keeps coming back,” states a source familiar with the network infection, “We think it’s benign, but we just don’t know.” It is unknown whether the virus and key logger payload was intentional or accidental; this may be a common piece of malware making its way into a sensitive network. Specialists are unaware of the depth of the virus however they are certain the infection has hit both classified and unclassified machines at Creech entitling secret data captured by the key logger enabling transmission over the public internet to someone outside of the military chain of command. Predator and Reaper crews utilize removable hard drives to load map updates and transport mission videos from one computer to another, the use of these hard drives are a possible spread of the computer virus. Technicians are trying to get the virus off by following the removal instructions, but the virus kept coming back, which the technicians had to completely erase the internal hard drive and completely rebuild them from scratch. Lt. Col. Stated, “We generally do not discuss specific vulnerabilities, threats, or responses to our computer networks, since that helps people looking to exploit or attack our systems to refine their approach.” As of now the Senior officers at Creech are briefed daily on the virus, and no one is alarmed just yet.
17 OCTOBER 2011 The Guardian (London)--The kidnappings of aid workers and tourists, torrential rains, and dangerously low agency funds are hampering relief efforts in the Horn of Africa. Medecins sans Frontieres (M SF) evacuated part of its team working in Dagahaley and Ifo, mostly in result of the kidnapping of two Spanish MSF women, and the shooting of their driver. Consequently, MSF's work has been hindered in the camp, where it has tackled severe malnutrition and disease. Recent heavy rains in Mogadishu have swept away makeshift camps around the capital. A deluge of rain flooded the shelters of roughly 2,800 people in the Sigale camp, sweeping away at least two children, and killing a pregnant woman. The Disasters Emergency Comm itt ee (DEC) has said that despite raising the third highest total in its history, there was still a shortage of funds to deal with the scale of the problems in the region. In conjunction, Save the Children is still appealing $100m to fund the emerg...
American-born Anwar al-Awlaki was killed Friday in a US drone strike in Yemen . Also killed by the CIA-operated aircraft was American Samir Khan , producer of al Qaeda's online magazine, Inspire . A Yemeni official described the effort as a "successful joint intelligence-sharing operation" between the US and Yemen. al-Awlaki was believed to be the senior leader of the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, an active affiliate of al Qaeda and the most significant threat to the US, according to the director of the National Counterterrorism Center. al-Awlaki is linked to Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab and Maj. Nidal Hasan . Only al Qaeda's current leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri , remains from the top terrorists at the time of the 9/11 attacks. Source: http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/30/world/africa/yemen-radical-cleric/index.html?npt=NP1 Reliability 9
Afghanistan has opened bids for copper and gold deposits worth billions of dollars in Badakhshan, Ghazni, and Heart provinces as well as an area that spans the Baulkh and Sar-e-Pul providences. The country plans to sell the right for up to five mines every year until 2014. Officials hope the revenue generated from mining will help rebuild the country. Copper mining could potentially generate four to five thousand jobs in Afghanistan. Afghanistan poses vast deposits of iron, copper, cobalt, gold, and other rare minerals. Having few exports, the revenue from mining is needed. The US Defenese Department estimates the mineral reserves as being worth one trillion dollars, whereas Afghanistan claims them to worth at least three trillion dollars. Source : http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Afghanistan-opens-bids-for-massive-mines-PAVDJ?opendocument&src=rss Reliability: 8
10 October 2011
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