30 April 2012

Pierluigi Paganini: Fear Iran and escalation of cyber attacks


 

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by paganinip on April 30th, 2012

Last week I reported the virus attack to the Iranian oil industry, a cyber attack that seems has caused few damages but that raised again the theme of cyber warfare. Oil industry is the primary economic business of Iranian Government and an attack to the sector appears to the experts as a cyber war acts. In the past Iran was already victim of cyber attack to its nuclear plants, we all remember the case of the Stuxnet Virus, for this reason the Iranian intelligence is convinced that also this time the nation is facing with a new cyber attack. Iran has in great consideration the theme of cyber warfare and it government is making big investments to strengthen the technological structure of the country and to promote effective cyber strategy.

Immediate reaction to the incident, on Saturday Iranian oil ministry’s cyber team has identified the targets of the attack and also the responsibles. Despite the Iranian officials haven’t revealed the identity of the responsibles they have provided more information regarding the attack and the real damages, they have in fact confirmed a virus has hit the structures of Kharg Island plant destroing minor data and some user’s hard disks. For all the data infected the experts have a copy of backup that has been restored without problems.

“The nature of the attack and the identity of the attackers have been discovered, but we cannot publicize it since we are still working on the case,”

Deputy Oil Minister Hamdollah Mohammadnejad told FNA.

“the attack was carried out by virus penetration and was aimed at stealing and destroying data and information.”

The spokesman’s words are eloquent, the attack hasn’t had the sole intent to destroy data, but it is part of a complex strategy that aims to infiltrate the Iranian networks gathering sensible information.

“those who design and develop such viruses are pursuing specific goals”.

Obviously there is the announcement in tones of propaganda immediate resumption of operations at the site attacked, senior Iranian oil ministry officials announced earlier this week said their computer systems resumed normal operation on Wednesday.

Iranian Oil Ministry’s Spokesman Alireza Nikzad-Rahbar declared that main services of the ministry’s computer systems, including the Administrative Automation System were up again on Tuesday evening, and that all the Iranian government experts have adopted all precautions to minimize the impact of a cyber attack ensuring the business continuity.

Iranian government is aware of the destructive capabilities of cyber weapons and the importance of appropriate cyber strategy, rather it is believed that in this area, the Western enemy may be more vulnerable. On March 2012 the leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has tasked Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with the duty of establishing a Supreme Council of Cyberspace which is charged with protecting the Iranian cyberspace

The registered attack is not the only one against Iranian infrastructures, Iranian Sharg newspaperhas reported that hackers have attacked the computers of Iran’s ministry of science, of course also this time there aren’t damage. Iranian expert also in this occasion have noted that the hackers haven’t the only purpose to destroy data but they were more interested to steal information.

An analysis of activities in cyber space clear the escalation of cyber conflict in the Middle East with Israel as the main protagonists, and the emerging Iran and Lebanon. The detailed Middle East Cyber War Timeline is available on the web site of the collegue Paolo Passeri, following a brief list of the events.

The intensification of the attacks provides an indicator of the level of tension in the area, and portends a military intervention to date avoided only by the veto of countries like China and Russia backing the government in Tehran. The intense activity also impacts on the policies of leading western nations, U.S. in the lead. 

The Iran issue is beginning to worry the American government, and not only, that through a media campaign is trying to rally support for military intervention in the area. Attempts of diplomacy did not match the expected results allowing the government in Tehran to organize an alarming strategy. Recall that world experts believe that Iran can have its own nuclear arsenal within two years, this time the West will have to decide how to act and precede.

Very significant is the report “The Iranian Cyber Threat to the U.S. Homeland” Statement before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Security Technologies and Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence. In the document are analyzed the growing Iranian capabilities, the country expanding exploitation of cyberspace can be attributed to two principal geopolitical drivers:
  1. The first are the Iranian regime’s efforts to counter Western influence and prevent the emergence of a “soft revolution” within its borders. That digital barrier has grown exponentially over the past three years, as Iran’s leadership has sought to domestic dissent and curtail the ability of its opponents to organize.
  2. The second geopolitical driver of Iran’s interest in cyberspace relates to the expanding conflict with the West over its nuclear ambitions.
The report clarify the position of Teheran that is considering itself engaged in a cyber war with West, due this reason the Iranian regime is mobilizing in response launching an ambitious $1 billion governmental program to boost national cyber capabilities, acquiring new technologies, investing in cyber defense, and creating of a new army of cyber experts.

Where does the United States stand with regard to a response? The Obama administration has made cybersecurity a major area of policy focus since taking office in 2009, and the past year in particular has seen a dramatic expansion of governmental awareness of cyberspace as a new domain of conflict.

The U.S. government, in other words, has not yet even begun to get ready for cyberwar with Iran, and according the report it’s time to start it. The risk of attacks against infrastuctures located in US homeland is high and it will increase in coming months due a range of scenarios, from a renewed diplomatic impasse to a further strengthening of economic sanctions to the use of military force against Iranian nuclear facilities.

Never let the guard down!

Pierluigi Paganini

[Information contained in BKNT E-mail is considered Attorney-Client and Attorney Work Product privileged, copyrighted and confidential. Views that may be expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of any government, agency, or news organization.]

29 April 2012

FLASH--Former Libyan oil minister found floating in Danube


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By msnbc.com staff – 29 April 2012

A high-ranking former Libyan official who served under Moammar Gadhafi was found dead in the Danube River, in Vienna, the BBC reported Sunday, citing Austrian police.
Shukri Ghanem, 69, initially defected to Rome from Libya in June 2011, amid the uprising that ultimately ousted Gadhafi, the Tripoli Post reported. He told the Italian Ansa news service that  he left "to fight for a democratic country."

Ghanem was Libyan prime minister from 2003 to 2006 and later served as oil minister until his departure in 2011. Prior to his death, Ghanem had been working as a consultant for a Vienna-based company.

On Sunday, he left his home on Sunday normally dressed, police told the BBC. He was found floating in the river early in the morning, the Associated Press reported, citing police spokesman Roman Hahslinger. Hahslinger said the body showed no external signs of violence, adding that officials will carry out an autopsy in the coming days.


[Information contained in BKNT E-mail is considered Attorney-Client and Attorney Work Product privileged, copyrighted and confidential. Views that may be expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of any government, agency, or news organization.]
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Ex- CIA chief Jose Rodriguez: "No regrets"

April 29, 2012 4:00 PM
The former head of the CIA's Clandestine Service on why he's proud of his agency and its actions after 9/11.
Hard Measures: Ex-CIA head defends post 9/11 tactics 
 

WHISKY TANGO-Two - Limp “Apology” From "Dr." Phil Issued After THOUSANDS COMPLAIN

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Dr. Phil Issues “Apology”


Prev.Ref:  WHISKY TANGO FOXTROT - Dr. Phil: Vets with PTSD Are “Damaged Goods”, “Monsters"


April 26, 2012
 By Marcus the Redshirt
Posted in Opinion


Cassy highlighted the gross disservice provided by The Dr. Phil Show to PTS sufferers last week. Ever since we have campaigned for the show to issue an apology. That “apology” came yesterday after thousands of people contacted Dr. Phil, the producers, and the sponsors.

We’ve received a lot of response about last week’s show, “Heroes in Pain,” which focused on the epidemic of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a condition that torments so many lives, including soldiers who’ve put their lives on the line serving our country. Some viewers expressed concern, and even disappointment, with the show’s original title, “Heroes to Monsters?” Our intent was to acknowledge the question so often cited in the media, not to make a statement, and to emphasize the severity of the pain and suffering our guests say they experience. In doing so, we unintentionally offended some of our viewers, and have therefore changed the title to more accurately reflect the show’s content.

I’m glad the show stirred so many of you to respond. Our goal is, and always will be, to call attention to the challenges our returning soldiers face, including PTSD. I really wanted you to hear firsthand the effects that PTSD can have on war heroes and their families, and I’m grateful to our guests for being so candid and honest about their experiences. I hope other media outlets will join us in talking openly about these challenges and our need as a society to respond with compassionate action. Two of my three sisters married fighter pilots (Vietnam era), and my nephew flew many missions as a Navy fighter pilot in Iraq and Afghanistan, so the lives of our veterans hits very close to home.

They should have just said, “Hey guys, we’re just going to change the name, so could you kindly back off? Oh and we’re going to leave that damaged goods voice over bit in the preview.”

“Some” viewers? The response has been completely overwhelming on Cassy’s piece, on our Facebook page, and countless other places across the Internet. A vast majority of those expressing “concern” or “disappointment” responded with raw anger that is not fit for publication on a PG rated website. Those responses were justified.

Many of the responses I’ve seen accused Cassy of not watching the show. She did. I saw her outrage on Facebook while she was watching the show. Many have also said that it wasn’t “all that bad” and justified the actions of the The Dr. Phil Show because “he provided treatment.” So providing help or treatment now excuses the original bad behavior? I don’t think so. And what I’ve mentioned thus far doesn’t even begin to touch the actual issue many of us have with the show. The true disservice performed by The Dr. Phil Show was furthing the stereotype of veterans with PTSD are violent. 

Cassy said it best.

Did Dr. Phil ever stop to point out that most veterans with PTSD don’t end up setting their wives on fire or stabbing people repeatedly in the face? Of course not. Indeed, recent research has found that the link between PTSD and violent behavior is actually weak.

How many veterans with PTS have never committed an act of violence. How many haven’t committed a crime? I can tell you that the number of veterans that have not outnumbers those that have by far. How many people saw this show and the numerous reports in the media of bad behavior by those with PTS? How many of those now assume everyone with PTS is dangerous? Far more than anyone knows or is willing to admit. The potential number scares me to even think about.

What Dr. Phil should have written, in my opinion, is this. “We are deeply saddened that we handled this topic so poorly. We regret not inviting additional veterans with PTS that have learned to live with their illness as part of our support and treatment plans for Matt and Mark. We are currently planning a follow up show that will feature veterans that defy the myth and stereotype furthered by our show and many in the media. An overwhelming majority of veterans diagnosed with PTS are not violent, monsters, or damaged goods.”

They should have left off the slimely marketing of The PTSD Breakthrough at the end of the “apology” as well. In case you’re unaware, Dr. Frank Lawlis is the author of The PTSD Breakthrough and is also the chairman of the Dr. Phil Advisory Board. By the way, the show is listed with it’s original title on Dr. Phil’s bio page of Dr. Lawlis.

Continue your efforts for a genuine apology from The Dr. Phil Show. Send them the apology I wrote above and let them know that is what they should have said. Here are the contacts once again….


MORE: WHISKY TANGO sources
 Military Life: http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/military-life/

Military News: http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/2012/04/20/dr-phil-vets-with-ptsd-are-

damaged-goods-monsters/

BlackNET Intelligence Channel: http://blacknetintel.blogspot.com/2012/04/whisky-tango-foxtrot-dr-phil-vets-with.html

'Dr.' Putz 'Apology' : http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/2012/04/26/dr-phil-issues-apology/

http://drphil.com/plugger/respond/?plugID=9164

[Information contained in BKNT E-mail is considered Attorney-Client and Attorney Work Product privileged, copyrighted and confidential. Views that may be expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of any government, agency, or news organization.]

28 April 2012

BKNT--FLASH--KORAN BURN COUNT-DOWN - 00:15 - REPEAT -15 MINUTES---OS


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ATTN: IRRG Corps.
FROM: Scott Malone, Editor - BlackNet.Intell@




SITE CHECKED 1533 ET – OFFLINE
Podium Mic check @ 1335 ET below.


http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/22194018
LIVESTREAM LINK:  STAND UP AMERICA NOW
 

VIDEO from Dr Terry Jones:

EVENT LOCATION:
5805 NW 37th St
Gainesville, FL 32653
Outdoors, in the open, public welcome
 

Let us know abut your plans to participate!
Post your city, state or country on our Facebook page:

Call us at 352 371-2487
Let governments know this is a world wide event.


We have received reports from around the world from groups planning to participate in the Saturday event. These groups are in America, in Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey, Michigan, California, Texas, Ohio, Maine, Idaho and Pennsylvania.  We have also heard from groups in New Delhi, India, in the Phillipines, in Germany, Romania, and in other locations around Europe.

Together we are demanding the release of the Christian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani from Iranian prison. If he has not been released we will protest his imprisonment, and the cowardliness and political correctness of world leaders concerning Islam's 1400 year history of violence, murder, rape and destruction that continues today, with a World Wide Burning of Korans and Images of the Prophet Mohammad at 5pm ET today, April 28th.

Stand Up America Now

[Information contained in BKNT E-mail is considered Attorney-Client and Attorney Work Product privileged, copyrighted and confidential. Views that may be expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of any government, agency, or news organization.]
 

CyBER-BlackSEC Debate

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The Devil's Advocate?

In 1991, [the late former Secretary of State Lawrence 'Just call me George'] Eagleburger explained to The Post why all of his sons were named Lawrence.

“First of all, it was ego,” he said. “And secondly, I wanted to screw up the Social Security system.”