EDM Friday Briefing: Cyber Attack Hits Power Grid, Oregon Standoff Continues, Texas Recovers From Tornadoes

Emergency and disaster management Friday Briefing for January 8, 2016: A cyber attack that caused widespread public blackouts in Ukraine might be tied to Russian hackers, law enforcement officials seek a peaceful end to the Oregon standoff, and Texas continues its recovery from devastating December tornadoes.

1. U.S. officials are [link url=”http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/jan/6/us-officials-look-towards-russia-while-investigati/” title=”investigating a December cyber attack on the power grid in Ukraine“]. The first known cyber attack to cause widespread public blackouts is [link url=”http://www.fastcompany.com/3055108/for-first-time-cyber-attack-causes-widespread-electricity-blackout” title=”believed to have occurred in Ukraine on December 23, 2015“], and intelligence agencies and cyber security experts are now [link url=”http://qz.com/587520/russian-hackers-are-suspected-in-a-cyber-attack-that-caused-a-huge-blackout-in-ukraine/” title=”looking to Russia as the likely source of the attack“].
2. There are concerns among cyber security experts that the hacking-caused blackout in Ukraine [link url=”http://www.ibtimes.com/did-russia-kill-ukraines-electricity-cyberattack-linked-power-outage-has-global-2249900″ title=”could cause a global spike in similar aggressions“] in the near future. [link url=”http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-utilities-cybersecurity-idUSKBN0UK2MM20160106″ title=”U.S. power companies were urged to review network defenses“] against potential similar attacks and take a [link url=”https://amuedge.com/a-look-at-cyber-security/” title=”closer look at cyber security“]. Experts have long been warning utility companies that old systems and an “increasingly connected grid” may ultimately result in [link url=”http://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/265036-us-utilities-warned-to-boost-defenses-in-response-to-ukrainian-blackout” title=”leaving vital U.S. infrastructure vulnerable“] to cyber attacks like the one reported in Ukraine.

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3. Oregon Sheriff David Ward [link url=”http://abcnews.go.com/US/oregon-sheriff-calls-meeting-end-standoff-peaceful-resolution/story?id=36152558″ title=”called a meeting with the militants occupying a wildlife refuge“] in an attempt to end the standoff in a peaceful manner. The armed militants, who are occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in protest of federal land rights issues, [link url=”http://www.reuters.com/article/us-oregon-militia-idUSKBN0UL2IW20160107″ title=”rejected the bid to end the standoff“] because the Sheriff “had not addressed their grievances.”
4. Law enforcement response to the armed takeover of the wildlife refuge is being questioned, with some asking why the [link url=”http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/01/05/weighing-oregon-standoff-solutions-from-arrests-to-birdathons/?_r=0″ title=”gun-toting protestors are getting ‘soft treatment’“] from the authorities. Questions persist about whether the [link url=”http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/05/us/in-oregon-law-enforcement-faces-dilemma-in-confronting-armed-group.html” title=”cautious approach“] taken by authorities thus far is the correct one. With the militants claiming that they will “stay for years,” authorities are [link url=”http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/01/05/weighing-oregon-standoff-solutions-from-arrests-to-birdathons/?_r=0″ title=”weighing standoff solutions“].

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5. Emergency crews report that more than 1,100 homes [link url=”http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2016/01/06/texas-red-cross-tornado-damage-assessment-is-just-1st-step-of-recovery/” title=”are unlivable, have major damage or were completely destroyed“] by the disastrous series of tornadoes that hit northern Texas the day after Christmas and resulted in at least 11 deaths. Residents are working to [link url=”http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metro/20160105-main-job-for-schools-in-tornado-hit-areas-restore-kids-routine.ece” title=”get kids back to school“] and some [link url=”http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Volunteers-Adopt-Tornado-Victims-in-North-Texas–364568541.html” title=”storm victims are getting matched up with volunteers“] to help out with various aspects of the continuing recovery.

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6. [link url=”http://www.thenational.scot/world/el-nino-forecast-to-hit-california.12090″ title=”Mudslides, flooding“] and even [link url=”http://www.weather.com/news/weather/news/california-oregon-washington-state-by-state-storm-impacts” title=”tornado sightings“] have all been reported in California as [link url=”http://www.weather.com/news/weather/news/california-oregon-washington-state-by-state-storm-impacts” title=”powerful storms drench the state“]. El Nino is being blamed for the ongoing storms that are pummeling the coast [link url=”http://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/el-ni-o-storms-bring-high-surf-possible-flooding-california-n492326″ title=”from San Diego to Los Angeles to San Francisco“]. Forecasts call for [link url=”http://news.yahoo.com/california-weathers-el-nino-wild-weather-not-over-092506342.html” title=”weakening storms“] and drier weather for the state today.
7. Thousands of South Carolina residents affected by the [link url=”https://amuedge.com/south-carolina-floods-aftermath-and-recovery/” title=”historic rains and floods“] that occurred in October 2015 [link url=”http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article53121880.html” title=”applied for federal disaster aid just before deadline“] of January 4, 2016. All told, more than 101,600 South Carolina residents registered with FEMA due to the October flooding, and FEMA has approved nearly $80 million in aid thus far.

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8. Federal authorities said that [link url=”http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/feds-say-terrorism-related-arrests-made-2-states-n492546″ title=”terror-related arrests occurred in two states“] yesterday. An arrest occurred in California and another in Texas. The arrest in Sacramento involved an Iraq refugee who reportedly lied to federal investigators about his travels to Syria. Authorities say that the suspect communicated on social media about his intent to fight for terrorist organizations in Syria. The two men were not involved in a single plot, authorities say, but they [link url=”http://www.reuters.com/article/us-sacramento-security-idUSKBN0UM02W20160108″ title=”may have been in contact with each other“].