Friday, May 18, 2012

Hand-Washing Key to Child Safety at Petting Zoos

With fairs and festivals season just around the corner, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture is issuing an urgent warning regarding the need to thoroughly wash hands after touching animals at petting zoos popular at many events throughout the state.

“It is possible to contract a dangerous form of E. coli by touching animals and fences or equipment they may have come into contact with,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. “It is imperative that parents ensure that children immediately wash their hands after visiting a petting zoo. If there are no hand-washing facilities available, children should not be allowed to touch the animals.”

The primary pathogen of concern, E. coli O157:H7, is particularly dangerous to humans, according to Dr. Robert Pitts, Director of WVDA’s Meat and Poultry Inspection Division.

“Various strains of E.coli are always present in the digestive tracts of many animals, including humans, but studies have shown that as few as 10 cells of this particular strain can cause infection in people,” said Dr. Pitts. “Children are especially at risk because their immune systems have not fully developed, and exposure to this strain can result in irreversible kidney damage or death.”

The disease is transmitted by ingestion of fecal material that may be found on animals and around their pens. Although studies show that only a small percentage of animals carry this dangerous strain of E.Coli, the popularity of petting zoos and the enthusiasm of children mean adults should exercise extra caution.

“Animals will pick up fecal matter when they lay on the ground and their immediate environment may also become contaminated. Therefore, any contact with the animal should be considered a possible contamination,” said Dr. Pitts.

Other Tips:

•  Young children who suck thumbs, etc., should not be allowed to touch the animals, the fences surrounding the animals, or any equipment that is in close proximity to the animals.

•  Waterless hand sanitizers are good, but nothing beats warm, soapy, running water to clean hands.

•  “Finger foods” are very popular at fairs and festivals. Hands should be washed immediately after touching animals and again before eating anything as an extra measure of safety.

•  E. coli can survive for extended periods outside the body. Shoes can be a source of infection if they come into contact with manure. Wash your hands after touching potentially contaminated shoes. Consider scrubbing and rinsing the soles with warm, soapy water.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

WVABCA and GHSP Unite with Local Law Enforcement to Prevent Illegal Alcohol Use

The West Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Administration (WVABCA), the Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) and state and local law enforcement agencies, will soon join together in a statewide effort to curb underage drinking.

During May and June, high school students experience two special occasions: prom and graduation.

Unfortunately, these joyful events can become tragic when underage West Virginians gain access to alcohol.

Tragically, alcohol related crashes occur at an alarming rate and are the leading cause of death among people 16 to 21 years of age.

Underage alcohol use has also been linked to alcohol poisoning, violence, vandalism, sexual abuse and other crimes.

WVABCA and GHSP encourage parents and caregivers to discuss the law and dangers of underage alcohol use with their children.

These efforts are funded by a federal grant issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and administered by the WVGHSP.

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

Gilmer County Vision Meeting - May 18, 2012 - Canceled

The county wide meeting scheduled for May 18, 2012, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM at the Gilmer County Recreation Center to discuss key issues facing Gilmer County has been canceled due to scheduling conflicts.
The meeting will be rescheduled at a later date.

Friday, May 04, 2012

Gassaway: Boil-Water Advisory – 05.04.12

West Virginia American Water has issued a boil-water advisory for approximately 40 residential customers in Gassaway.

The affected area includes Kanawha Street, Birch Street, Linden Street and Eighth Street.

The advisory follows a water main break.

Customers are urged to boil their water for at least one full minute prior to use until further notice.

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Division of Natural Resources Warns: Don’t Feed the Bears

The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds all West Virginia residents that feeding black bears is a violation of state law, as well as a misguided disservice to the state animal, according to Colin Carpenter, black bear project leader for the DNR Wildlife Resources Section.

        “Some people will illegally set out food so they can get a closer look at this often secretive animal,” Carpenter said.  “However, these actions often lead to the destruction of the bear. Bear movements are tied to food sources. Bears that roam in and around residential areas in search of food are less likely to stay if they do not find anything to eat.”

        Capturing and moving bears that have become accustomed to humans is a costly and often ineffective way of addressing the problem, especially if it just moves the problem from one place to another.   

        Bear populations have increased in both number and distribution in the past 20 years.  Bears are now found in areas where they have been absent for decades and have been reported in all 55 counties.  Multiple reports of sows with cubs have been received from the northern and western portions of the state. “There is simply nowhere to move bears that have become a problem,” Carpenter said. 

        Human / bear interactions increase during the spring and summer for several reasons.  Natural food sources are at their lowest point when bears leave their dens in the spring.  Bears often spend several weeks feeding on green vegetation while continuing to lose weight.  High-energy foods such as serviceberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries do not become available until later in the summer.

        In addition, the bear breeding season, which peaks from late June through July, puts many bears on the move. During the breeding season, males will cover large areas while searching for females. This is also the time of year when adult female bears will chase off their yearlings so that they may breed again. Human-related food sources are higher in calories and easier to obtain than natural foods. All bears, especially yearlings that are on their own for the first time, will take advantage of easy food sources. Bears will continue on their way if they do not find easy food sources.

        Bears quickly become habituated to handouts in the form of trash, bird seed, pet food and feed placed out for other animals, and lose their fear of humans. They then resort to raiding garbage, outdoor freezers, storage sheds, vehicles and other structures associated with people.  Unfortunately, when these activities are repeated, DNR personnel are forced to humanely destroy the offending animal for safety reasons.

        “The unintentional feeding of black bears is something that can be prevented,” Carpenter says. “Garbage should be secured in a bear-proof facility and placed out for collection on the morning of pick-up, not the night before. Food scraps that produce large amounts of odor should be sealed in a plastic bag before being placed in the trash. Food scraps should not be placed in a compost pile during the summer months. Residents should remove all outside pet food at night, and bird feeders should be taken down, cleaned, and stored until late fall to further discourage bears from feeding around human habitation. If you do not remove food attractants until after a bear has become a nuisance, you may have caused the death of that animal”

        Feeding of any wildlife should be avoided for numerous reasons, including, but not limited to, disease transmission, increased predation, habitat destruction around the feeding site, ethical concerns, and the animal’s overall health.  Following these practical and common sense recommendations will reduce human-bear conflicts and assure that more of the state’s animals remain wild.

G-Fin™: Over 1.5 Million Visa, MasterCard Credit Card Numbers Stolen?

Global Payments, the U.S.-based credit card processor company that experienced a security breach affecting plastic issued from Visa and MasterCard, released information about the attack.

Last time, the firm said the breached portion of its processing system was confined to North America and that less than 1.5 million credit card numbers were stolen. The timeframe during which Global Payments was hacked, however, has significantly grown. In other words, the hack could have been much worse.

A hacker break-in at credit and debit card processor Global Payments Inc. dates back to at least early June 2011, Visa and MasterCard warned in updated alerts sent to card-issuing banks in the past week. The disclosures offer the first additional details about the length of the breach since Global Payments acknowledged the incident on March 30, 2012.

Visa and MasterCard send periodic alerts to card-issuing banks about cards that may need to be re-issued following a security breach at a processor or merchant. Indeed, it was two such alerts — issued within a day of each other in the final week of March — which prompted my reporting that ultimately exposed the incident. Since those initial alerts, Visa and MasterCard have issued at least seven updates, warning of additional compromised cards and pushing the window of vulnerability at Global Payments back further each time.

News broke late in March that Visa and MasterCard had warned banks of a major potential breach at a U.S.-based credit card processor. Both Visa and MasterCard then confirmed the breach, although the two also emphasized their own security systems were not compromised. Soon after, Global Payments confirmed it had identified unauthorized access into its processing system.

Previous reports suggested that full Track 1 and Track 2 data was taken, which means perpetrators got enough to counterfeit new cards. Global Payments’ investigation to date has revealed that Track 2 card data may have been stolen, but the company is still not sure. On the other hand, Global Payment was confident enough to say that cardholder names, addresses, and social security numbers were not obtained by the criminals.

Estimates ranged from 50,000 to 10 million credit cards, but Global Payments reduced that to just 15% of the upper bound. Is that number about to jump?

Here is the FAQ:

  Why have card brands removed you from their list of PCI Compliant Service Providers?
  Based on our announcement of unauthorized activity in a limited segment of our North American processing system, some card brands removed us from their list of PCI compliant service providers. They have requested we revalidate our PCI status, which we will do following the current investigation. We anticipate that we will be re-instated to those lists at the conclusion of the re-validation and any required remediation.

  Can you continue to process transactions?
  Yes. Global Payments will continue to process transactions for all card brands with the same high level of service our customers have come to expect.

  Were fraud alerts issued on more cards than 1.5 million card numbers you reported?
  Yes. In any matter of this nature, the card brands cast a wide net to protect consumers, and we supply as much information as possible to assist over the course of the investigation. We continue to believe that less than 1.5 million card numbers may have been exported.

  Do you expect to release additional card numbers?
  The company has delivered, and may continue to deliver, card numbers to the card brands and other third parties to help thwart criminals and combat fraud.

  What does “exported” mean?
  Taken or stolen from our network.

  Could there be broader time periods in question?
  We have not publicly communicated any time periods and there is a full investigation underway. It would be premature and inappropriate for us to speak to or confirm any timeframes until the investigation is complete. We identified and self-reported this incident in early March, and we will continue to provide information to the appropriate parties as revealed by the investigation.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Leave Young Wildlife Alone

The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) advises people to leave all young wildlife alone.  “The spring season is the time of year when the woods and fields of West Virginia are full of new life,” said Gene Thorn, wildlife biologist at the West Virginia State Wildlife Center in French Creek.  “People have a great opportunity to view and enjoy young wildlife during this season, but it is especially important for the public to understand the need to avoid touching or disturbing these wild animals.”

Attempts to rescue or rehabilitate young wildlife are often counter-productive. Picking up or getting too close to wildlife greatly increases the chance of harm to the animal and/or the persons involved in this unwise practice. By touching young animals or close approach, humans leave scent that may attract a predator. Wildlife viewing is an enjoyable and perfectly acceptable activity; however, DNR recommends that this pastime be conducted from a safe distance and with the aid of binoculars.

“In addition to being detrimental to the welfare of young animals, handling wildlife can expose humans to various wildlife-associated diseases, parasites and other health-related risks,” said Thorn.  “Rabies, roundworms and other parasites such as lice and ticks can be transmitted to humans through the improper handling of wildlife.“

The Wildlife Center and DNR offices statewide receive numerous calls each year concerning young wildlife, especially fawn deer that have been picked up by well-meaning residents. It is important to note that in almost every case these young animals have not been abandoned. In fact, the offspring are often hidden as the adult searches for food, and this separation can last for a few hours or all day.

The spotted pattern and coloration of fawns and their lack of scent make them difficult for predators to detect. If a predator approaches a fawn, the young deer will normally hold very still until the threat passes. The fawn will wait until the very last moment before fleeing to safety if discovered by a predator. Removing the young wildlife from its natural environment almost certainly leads to death of the animal.

As a final caution, state laws prohibit the possession of wildlife without a permit. Under any circumstances, when you pick up a young animal in the wild you have taken it into your possession. The fines for illegal possession of a fawn deer, black bear cub, baby raccoon, squirrel or any other species taken or possessed during the closed season range from $20 up to a maximum of $1,000 and/or up to 100 days in jail.

“We want everyone to enjoy wildlife in West Virginia,” said Thorn. “For your own health and safety and to protect the wildlife, remember these wild animals should be left alone and allowed to stay wild.”

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

WV State Police Search for Armed and Dangerous Man Who May Be in Ritchie County

Kenneth R. Fraker is wanted for outstanding felony warrants related to the molestation of multiple male juveniles.

He should be considered armed and dangerous.

The Harrisville Detachment of the West Virginia State Police is requesting the public’s assistance in locating Kenneth R. Fraker (Date of Birth: 02.18.56,  Height: 5’10, Weight: 140 lbs.).

Fraker’s last known address is Ohley Hollow in Eskdale, West Virginia.

He is known to travel to Raleigh and Ritchie counties in West Virginia.

He may be driving a 2008 Ford F-150, 4 door, extended cab, white or silver in color, bearing West Virginia registration V34565.

Fraker is wanted for outstanding felony warrants related to the molestation of multiple male juveniles.

He should be considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information is requested to contact their nearest detachment of the West Virginia State Police or Senior Trooper C. S. Jackson at 304.643.2101.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

G-TechNote™: Mac Users Should Fear Viruses, More Widespread Attacks Likely Coming

Mac users can no longer be blithely indifferent about the risks of viruses and cyber-attacks, warn computer security experts.

A widespread virus called Flashback or Flashfake has hit hundreds of thousands of Apple computers worldwide, and is widely considered to be just the first of many malicious attacks that will continue to ensnare Mac users.

Virus creators have long been targeting the growing numbers of Mac users and the fact Flashback/Flashfake hit an estimated one per cent of all Macs worldwide makes the launch of this virus a “historic event,“ said Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer with security company F-Secure.

“Mac users can’t just do like they’ve always done, which is to laugh at the Windows users who had to worry about viruses because they didn’t. I think it’s a wake-up call for Mac users,“ Hypponen said.

“Now we see the very same risks apply to Apple users as well. I think it’s the first of many more to come, I think the happy days of virus-free Macs are behind us.“

Word of the virus first broke out of Russia last week, with an estimated 600,000 computers affected worldwide.

The first wave of infections were linked to a fraudulent pop-up prompt users received on websites to install a new version of Adobe Flash.

Later, hackers identified a security hole in the Java platform that allowed users to get infected without clicking on anything at all.

“The pages that would infect you could be perfectly normal websites, sites that you visit all the time, except now they had been hacked,“ explained Hypponen. “But the hackers made no visible modifications, everything looked normal. But it loaded a Java (program) in the background and that (program) exploited the vulnerability.“

Users infected by the virus could have their computers controlled and watched remotely by hackers and are vulnerable to having personal and banking information stolen.

The outbreak was fascinating for security watchers who have long warned about the potential for Mac infections, said Liam O Murchu, manager of security response operations for Symantec.

“We don’t see a lot of threats on Mac but we do (now) see a gradual change where the attackers are starting to look at other horizons and other operating systems outside of Windows,“ he said.

“Really no matter what operating system you’re using, you’re not immune from these attackers.“

While iPads and iPhones have not yet been well targeted, Google Android mobile devices have proven to be good targets for hackers, he added.

“With Android we’re seeing an increase in the amount of attacks, definitely. We’re seeing lots of apps that are cloned and have some malicious content added to them and then are replaced in some of the marketplaces, particularly in some of the non-official marketplaces. That’s one area we’re definitely seeing growing a lot.“

Hackers may be seeking out new targets to find users who have their guards down and aren’t as accustomed to worrying about viruses, said Tim Armstrong, malware researcher at Kaspersky.

“Mac users haven’t been inundated with malware for the last 10 years (like Windows users) and maybe aren’t quite as prepared to deal with a malware situation or recognize one,“ said Armstrong, noting that Mac anti-virus software is much less common than on PCs.

“We’ve had a Mac product for a number of years, as have some of our competitors, but it’s just really a fact that Mac users have not taken as seriously the necessity of installing anti-virus software.

“Apple has in the past sort of positioned themselves as being more secure. But really, that security was really obtained through obscurity rather than being a truly more secure operating system.“

Apple has let down its user base with its response to the outbreak, Hypponen said. While the Java security hole was publicly identified in February, it wasn’t until last week that Apple released its own update to address it.

“I’m not seeing that Apple has had any kind of wakeup call because of this, which is a bit surprising. You would think they would’ve been much more visible about this and provide much more guidance for their customers,“ he said.

Apple has a basic anti-virus program built into its OS X operating system but it still hasn’t been updated to identify and fix the Flashback/Flashfake virus, Hypponen added.

“It baffles me, you’d think they’d do that, you’d think they would do whatever they can to protect their users but they haven’t,“ he said.

“Apparently they are not able to act that fast — it’s the only explanation I can come up with — which sort of tells us they don’t have the hands-on security experience that, for example, Microsoft has by now.

“Of course, Microsoft has been forced to learn it because they’ve been attacked so many times. It seems like Apple is just now starting to learn.“

———

Kaspersky has a free online tool to check your Mac for the Flashback/Flashfake virus at flashbackcheck.com.

Monday, April 09, 2012

West Virginia Health Officials: Watch Out for Ticks

West Virginia Health officials are urging West Virginians to be vigilant for ticks and protect themselves from the threat of Lyme disease as scientists warn that insect populations could swell after the warm, mild winter.

Symptoms of Lyme disease typically show within three to 30 days of a tick bite.

They include fever and an expanding, circular red rash around the bite.

If not treated early with antibiotics, Lyme disease can lead to long-term, recurrent arthritis and neurological problems.

Public health entomologist Eric Dotseth said the black-legged tick — previously known as the deer tick — is tiny and hard to find.

He suggests people thoroughly examine themselves and their pets if they’re venturing into areas with thick undergrowth and wear light-colored clothing to make the bugs easier to spot.

Ticks can attach to any part of the human body, including hard-to-see areas such as the groin, armpits and scalp.

“They are cueing in on things like heat, carbon dioxide, motion, sweat — all of these things that suggest a living, breathing, vertebrate host,“ he said. “You’ll even see them sometimes on the vegetation. They’ll be wiggling their legs around like little antennae searching. Then what they do when they find that vertebrate host, they will latch on.“

Ticks typically must be attached for 36-48 hours or more before the disease can be transmitted.

Doctors say they should be removed carefully, with tweezers and by the head.

“Do not, under any circumstances, burn the tick while it’s touching you, or put Vaseline or another chemical on the tick to get it to drop off,“ said Dr. Erika Pallie of Morgantown.

Pallie also suggests keeping lawns cut short and says guinea hens and chickens can help control bugs. Spraying clothing with insecticides can also help.

Saturday, April 07, 2012

WVDOF: Fire Danger Warning Posted for the Area

More than half of West Virginia is under fire warning after the National Weather Service and West Virginia Division of Forestry issued a joint high fire danger alert Saturday.

Open burning of any kind in the affected area is considered hazardous, the statement says.

The fire danger alert was posted for Cabell, Mason, Jackson, Wood, Pleasants, Tyler, Lincoln, Putnam, Kanawha, Roane, Wirt, Calhoun, Ritchie, Doddridge, Mingo, Logan, Boone, Clay, Braxton, Gilmer, Lewis, Harrison, Taylor, McDowell, Wyoming, Raleigh, Fayette, Nicholas, Webster, Upshur, Barbour, Pocahontas and Randolph counties.

The state is already under its annual spring daytime outdoor burning ban, which prohibits outdoor fires between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM through May 31, 2012.

Saturday, March 31, 2012

WV Agriculture Officials Warn of Salsa Recall

WV agricultural officials are warning consumers about a salsa recall in West Virginia and 10 other states due to possible salmonella contamination.

Club Chef LLC is recalling its salsa products sold under the Private Selection brand name in a 12-ounce package and under the Heinen’s brand name in a 16-ounce package.

Also recalled are 5-pound trays sold through food service distributors.

Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass says the products should be returned to the place of purchase for a full refund.

They have the use-by date of March 27, 2012.

No illnesses have been reported.

Douglass says the presence of salmonella was detected in a case of hot peppers used as one of the salsa’s ingredients.

Consumers can call 859.578.3143 during business hours on weekdays for more information.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Students Prepare Yourself:  Your Loan Interest Rate Is About to Double

Prepare yourself: on July 01, 2012 as many as 8 million college students will see their interest rates on federally subsidized student loans double, from 3.4% to 6.8%.

According to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, that increase amounts to the average Stafford loan borrower’s paying $2,800 more over a standard 10-year repayment term for loans made after June 30.

It is worse for those students who take out the most money. Those who borrow the maximum $23,000 in subsidized student loans will see their debt load upped by $5,000 over a 10-year repayment plan and $11,000 over a 20-year repayment plan.

With the deadline looming, college students last week delivered some 130,000 letters to Congress, urging legislators to keep the interest rate at 3.4%. Like many things in Washington this election year, the issue has become a partisan battle. President Obama and other Democrats have urged Congress to act to extend the low rate (Democrat Representative Joe Courtney of Connecticut has introduced legislation that would stop the rate hike), while Republicans favor allowing the rate to return to 6.8%. Even the cost estimates vary: Democrats predict that keeping the rate at 3.4% for one additional year would cost about $3 billion, while Republicans say it would cost nearly $7 billion.

At the outset, doubling the interest rate seems like a really bad idea. The percentage of student loan borrowers in default is on the rise as student debt outpaces credit card debt. Students are already graduating with a record-high average debt of $25,000. And last year, for the first time ever, the total amount of student loans taken out topped $100 billion, and the total outstanding student loan debt is expected to top $1 trillion this year — also a first.

But the increase isn’t quite as devastating as it has been portrayed. To start, the 3.4% rate has been in effect only for one year. The rate decrease was passed by Congress in 2007 when Democratic legislators made good on campaign promises and passed the College Cost Reduction and Access Act. After the law passed, the interest rate on subsidized loans fell each year until reaching 3.4% this year — the same year it was set to expire.

Second, 6.8% is still a pretty low interest rate. Sure, 3.4% is better, but when compared with private student loans, which average 9% to 11%, and credit cards, which can have interest rates as high as 30%, 6.8% doesn’t sound all that alarming. (The interest rate for unsubsidized Stafford loans remains at 6.8%.)

The fact is, Congress is still dealing with a tight budget, and footing the bill for an interest-rate reduction is an expensive proposition. According to Kantrowitz, even in 2007, when the budget was more flush, legislators backpedaled on their campaign promises and cut the rate only on subsidized Stafford loans, rather than on all federal student loans, once they discovered how expensive it was to reduce the interest rate.

In the worst-case scenario, keeping the rate at 3.4% would create a vicious cycle. If the government put up the billions required to keep the rate low, they would likely be forced to turn elsewhere to tighten the belt. One of the potential targets, according to Kantrowitz, is the Pell grant, which is relied on by low-income students and has already sustained cuts. “Cutting Pell grants to maintain a low interest rate doesn’t make any sense,” Kantrowitz says. That’s because cutting grants would essentially force students to take out more loans, thus increasing their debt load. “If that happened, the government would essentially be taking away money from students with one hand and giving it back with another,” Kantrowitz says, adding that, in the end, allowing the interest rate on federally subsidized Stafford loans to return to 6.8% is the lesser of two evils.

~~  Kayla Webley – TM ~~

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Safe Outdoor Burning Tips

A windy March day is great for flying a kite, but not for burning brush.

That is why state foresters are asking residents to be extremely cautious this month with outdoor fires.

“One spark can easily start a forest fire,” said Assistant State Forester Walt Jackson. “Help us keep the woods safe by using common sense and not burning debris on windy days.”

Since January 01, 2012, foresters have recorded 148 forest fires throughout West Virginia. Half of those fires, 74, were caused by sparks from debris fires or the escape of the fires themselves. The second leading cause of forest fires in 2012 is equipment use that has led to 32 fires. Arson or incendiary fires account for 26 fires so far this year.

Jackson offered several tips to keep down fire danger when burning outdoors.

•  Burn only after 5:00 PM — it’s the law — and put your fire out completely by 7:00 AM.

•  Put debris in several small piles instead of one large one

•  Never burn on dry, windy days

•  Select a safe place away from overhead power lines, phone lines or other obstructions and where the fire cannot spread into the woods or weedy or brushy areas

•  Clear at least a 10-foot area around the fire and make sure the area is clear of all burnable material

•  Have water and tools on hand to extinguish anything that may escape the burn area

•  Be conscientious of neighbors and don’t burn debris that produces a lot of smoke at times when smoke does not rise. If the smoke spreads out near the ground instead of rising, put out the fire and burn another time

•  Stay with the fire at all times until it is completely out. Leaving a fire unattended for any length of time is illegal.

•  Call 911 immediately if a fire does escape

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

G-TechNote™: Microsoft Warns: Expect Exploits for Critical Windows Worm Hole

Attention Microsoft Windows administrators: Stop what you’re doing and apply the new — and very critical — MS12-020 update.

Microsoft is warning that there is a remote, pre-authentication, network-accessible code execution vulnerability in its implementation of the RDP protocol.

From the Bulletin:

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the Remote Desktop Protocol accesses an object in memory that has been improperly initialized or has been deleted. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could run arbitrary code on the target system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.

Although RDP is disabled by default, Microsoft is urging all Window users to treat this issue with the utmost priority.

“Due to the attractiveness of this vulnerability to attackers, we anticipate that an exploit for code execution will be developed in the next 30 days,” Microsoft said.

It is important to note that the vulnerable code is reachable only if RDP is enabled and a mitigation feature in RDP called NLA (network level authentication) moves it to post-authentication which makes this vulnerability less likely to be wormed.  There are instructions here to enable NLA on Windows to reduce the severity of a potential attack.

The Remote Assistance feature in Windows (see image above) provides checkboxes for users to choose between “more secure” and “less secure”.  On machines where RDP is enabled in the “less secure” mode, nothing blocks pre-auth code execution once a stable exploit is developed.

This issue is potentially reachable over the network by an attacker before authentication is required.

RDP is commonly allowed through firewalls due to its utility. The service runs in kernel-mode as SYSTEM by default on nearly all platforms (except for one exception described below). During our investigation, we determined that this vulnerability is directly exploitable for code execution. Developing a working exploit will not be trivial – we would be surprised to see one developed in the next few days. However, we expect to see working exploit code developed within the next 30 days.

Monday, March 12, 2012

West Virginia State Police Warn Scammers Using Their Name

There’s a warning from an organization whose goal is to protect and serve.

They say there is an email and telephone scam going around that is giving them a bad name.

“Criminals are smart. They’re constantly coming up with new ways to scam the public,“ said Sgt. Michael Baylous, spokesperson for the West Virginia State Police.

This time, some are claiming to be members of the West Virginia State Police, and they’re asking for you to wire them money.

“I just think it shows that they do their homework and someone would take the time and research and figure out the spokesman for the West Virginia State Police, find out the name and attach it to an email and send it out and make it appear to be legitimate,“ Baylous said.

Baylous said a woman from Parkersburg contacted him, asking if he sent her an email. She claimed the email appeared to be from state police, asking her to wire them $3,000 to post bond for her fiance who was allegedly being detained by immigrations and customs.

Sgt. Baylous said it is a scam.

“The West Virginia State Police is not, for any reason, going to request that you send or wire money to them,“ he said.

So far, three cases have come across Baylous’ desk and he believes there could be more victims out there.

If you get one of these letters or are contacted by telephone, troopers say do not send any money.

If you have any information, you are asked to call your local police department.

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Minnie Hamilton Health System: National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and Minnie Hamilton Health System would like to encourage all readers to take a step toward good colorectal health by knowing the facts about this disease that is needlessly killing thousands of people each year.

Among cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal cancer—cancer of the colon or rectum—is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Colorectal cancer also is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States.

The risk of developing colorectal cancer increases with advancing age. More than 90% of cases occur in people aged 50 or older.

Colorectal cancer screening saves lives. However, many people who are at risk for the disease are not being screened according to national guidelines.

It is estimated that as many as 60% of colorectal cancer deaths could be prevented if all men and women aged 50 years or older were screened routinely. In most cases, colorectal cancer develops from precancerous polyps (abnormal growths) in the colon or rectum. Screening tests can find precancerous polyps, so that they can be removed before they turn into cancer. Screening tests also can find colorectal cancer early, when treatment works best.

Some studies show that increased physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight may decrease the risk for colorectal cancer. Evidence is less clear about other ways to prevent colorectal cancer.

You should begin screening for colorectal cancer soon after turning 50 and then continue getting screened at regular intervals. However, you may need to be tested earlier or more often than other people if:

• You or a close relative have had colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer; or

• You have inflammatory bowel disease.

If you are aged 50 or older, or think you may be at increased risk for colorectal cancer, speak with your doctor about getting screened. Several tests are available to screen for colorectal cancer. Some are used alone; others are used in combination with each other. Talk with your doctor about which test or tests are best for you. These screening tests are recommended by the USPSTF:

• Colonoscopy (every 10 years).

• High-sensitivity fecal occult blood test (FOBT) (every year).

• Flexible sigmoidoscopy (every 5 years).

In addition to these tests, some groups also recommend the double contrast barium enema as a screening test (every 5 years).

For more information about colorectal cancer, visit www.cdc.gov.

Saturday, March 03, 2012

State of Emergency in Seven WV Counties

Due to flooding and flash flooding caused by continuous rainfall, high winds, mudslides and hail, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin declared a state of emergency, effective March 01, 2012, in the following counties:

•  Doddridge

•  Harrison

•  Marion

•  Monongalia

•  Preston

•  Ritchie

•  Taylor

“I want to thank all of the first responders and volunteers who have been working to help bring relief to the victims,“ Tomblin said.  “State and local emergency management officials, as well as West Virginia National Guardsmen, are onsite, assessing damages and offering assistance where needed.“

In addition to assisting in the clean.up effort, Governor Tomblin has authorized the West Virginia National Guard to begin an assessment of the affected areas.  Storm.related damage continues to threaten the health, safety, welfare and property of the citizens in the affected counties. Therefore, the state of emergency remains in effect for 30 days, unless extended or rescinded by another proclamation by the governor.

For emergencies, residents should call 911.

To report damage or for nonemergency assistance, residents should contact their county emergency operations centers:

•  Doddridge 304.844.7390

•  Harrison 304.623.4115

•  Marion 304.366.0196

•  Monongalia 304.598.0301

•  Preston304.329.1855

•  Ritchie 304.659.3334

•  Taylor 304.265.0904

“Above all, we want our citizens to be safe,“ Tomblin said.  “Do not attempt to drive through standing water on roadways and if you need assistance, please contact the appropriate authorities.“

Friday, March 02, 2012

Twenty-Eight WV Counties Under Tornado Watch

The National Weather Service has placed several West Virginia counties under a tornado watch until midnight Friday night.

The counties listed include BOONE, BRAXTON, CABELL, CALHOUN, CLAY, DODDRIDGE, FAYETTE, GILMER, HARRISON, JACKSON, KANAWHA, LEWIS, LINCOLN, LOGAN, MASON, MCDOWELL, MINGO, NICHOLAS, PLEASANTS, PUTNAM, RALEIGH, RITCHIE, ROANE, TYLER, WAYNE, WIRT, WOOD and WYOMING counties.

The National Weather Service says it’s going to be an unsettled Friday evening as temperatures increase and meet with a cold front.

“We get warm air that comes through and it’s moist and that makes it very buoyant and when the cold front comes through it comes underneath that warm air and causes it to lift. There’s some good lifting with these storms,“ National Weather Service Meteorologist Liz Sommerville told MetroNews.

The storms are embedded in steady rain that is moving through the southern coalfields, through the Kanawha Valley and into central West Virginia. The possibility of severe storms is higher in southern counties the risk is less to the east.

The ground is saturated in many counties following heavy rain from earlier this week. A number of flash flood watches have already been issued.

“We definitely have a concern about flooding. So we’re monitoring it,“ Somerville said.

The storm threat will continue into early Saturday morning. The rest of Saturday is forecasted to start out cloudy before breaking for sun with highs in the 50s.

Thursday, March 01, 2012

WV Spring Forest Fire Season Starts Thursday, March 01, 2012

West Virginia’s spring forest fire season starts March 01, 2012, and runs through May 31, 2012.

During these three months, daytime burning is prohibited from the hours of 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Outdoor burning is permitted only between the hours of 5:00 PM and 7:00 AM.

State law requires a ring or safety strip around outdoor fires to keep them from spreading into the woods.

This safety strip must be cleared of all burnable material and be at least 10 feet wide completely around the debris pile.

Additional requirements of the state’s fire laws include staying on-site until the fire is completely extinguished, and burning only vegetative materials like leaves, brush and yard clippings.

Anyone who allows a fire to escape and cause a wildfire or forest fire will be subject to fines ranging from $100 to $1,000. An additional civil penalty of $200 also will be assessed.

The only daytime burning that is allowed during fire season is that done by public utilities and people burning in conjunction with commercial, manufacturing, mining or like activities.

This type of commercial burning requires a burning permit that costs $125 and is issued by a local Division of Forestry office.

A permit is required for each site where this type of burning is taking place.

Private landowners burning during the course of agricultural activities must have a permit to burn during the day, but are exempt from the $125 permit fee.

Burning permits are not issued for residential burning of small amounts of yard debris such as leaves, branches or yard clippings.

Friday, February 24, 2012

GFP: Policy Reminder - 02.24.12

Often information are copied from The Gilmer Free Press and published on other websites.

This is done without the Gilmer Free Press’ knowledge.

The Gilmer Free Press DOES NOT provide such information to other websites.

Therefore please DO NOT conclude that The Gilmer Free Press is running such internet websites.

Such conclusion is absolutely false.

The information is simply copied from GFP.

Once again, we have to remind the readers about the commenting rules:

1) We have to know who you are, even if you want to remain anonymous.

2) You have to complete the verification process in order to have your comment activated.

3) By providing fake e-mail address and fake information you are just wasting time and effort.

4) All comments are the opinion of the authors of the comments and not The Gilmer Free Press.

5) If you do not agree with someone’s opinion you have the same right to express your own. You may wish to set the record straight or ignore it.  A timely response may clear up misunderstandings quickly and avoid distortion of truth.

6) As long as the verification process is complete and the comment does not contain foul language, and is relative to the subject the comment will be activated.

Some people enjoy reading about others in the GFP, but when they become the subject of the discussion, GFP suddenly becomes bad.

It is interesting that those who complain about anonymous comments supply an anonymous signature instead of their real name.

When people commit criminal acts, it is the public’s right to know. If one holds a public office and/or paid by public funds, then it is the public’s right to question their actions.  Otherwise, news sources would be full of feel good stories, poetry, and philanthropy that no one wants to read.  What the public really wants is to be informed, forewarned, and alerted to potential problems that may affect them personally.

Once again, if you feel that any information published by The Gilmer Free Press is not accurate, you are invited to express your part.

Through this website you may be able to link to other websites which are not under the control of “The Gilmer Free Press”. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.

Thank you

The Gilmer Free Press

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

G-TechNote™: Microsoft Warns Of Dangerous Internet Explorer Browser Vulnerabilities

Microsoft is warning all users of its Internet Explorer web browser to immediately apply the latest security patch as a precaution against malicious hacker attacks.

As part of its Patch Tuesday releases, the company shipped a high-priority IE update (MS12-010) which covers four documented vulnerabilities that could be used in drive-by downloads with minimal user action.

The update is rated “critical” for Internet Explorer 7, Internet Explorer 8, and Internet Explorer 9 on Windows client machines and Microsoft expects to see reliable exploit code published with the next 30 days.

The most severe vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted web page using Internet Explorer, Microsoft warned.

The IE patch addresses the vulnerabilities by modifying the way that Internet Explorer handles content during copy and paste processes, handles objects in memory, and creates and initializes strings.

The company is also urging Windows users to pay special attention to MS12-013, a critical bulletin that fixes a flaw that could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted media file that is hosted on a website or sent as an email attachment.

From the bulletin:

A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the msvcrt.DLL calculates the size of a buffer in memory, allowing data to be copied into memory that has not been properly allocated.

This vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a user opens a specially crafted media file.

If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system.

Microsoft also noted that any application that uses msvcrt.dll could be affected by this vulnerability, meaning that some third-party applications may also be vulnerable.

This month’s batch of patches also fixes remote code execution vulnerabilities in Windows kernel mode drivers, privilege escalation flaws in ancillary function driver, security holes in Microsoft SharePoint, code execution holes in color panel control and dangerous security problems in Indeo codec and Microsoft Visio Viewer 2010.

The company also shipped fixes for vulnerabilities in .Net Framework and Microsoft Silverlight.

Thursday, February 09, 2012

OddlyEnough™: October Sky Festival Is Done

Rocket Boy and author Homer Hickam says the October Sky Festival in McDowell County is over after 13 years.

Hickam says the longtime organizers of the festival, which has taken place in Hickam’s hometown of Coalwood, are past retirement age and needed younger area residents to step up and help—but have not gotten that help.

Hickam says he understands why it happens and he’ll miss returning to the festival each year.

Organizers posted the following message on the festival’s website:

The OCTOBER SKY FESTIVAL will not be held in Coalwood this year.  The Cape Coalwood Restoration Association would like to thank Homer Hickam, and Rocket Boys Roy Lee Cooke, Jim Odell Carroll, Billy Rose and all the other people too numerous to mention for helping to make the festival successful for 13 years.  We have enjoyed meeting the astronauts, NASA people, movie stars, teachers and visitors who traveled to Coalwood from all over the world.  We have especially enjoyed all of the young people who came by bus loads, their teachers and parents who have encouraged the students to AIM HIGH!  The homecoming of former residents has been phenomenal and most rewarding!  Thanks for the memories!

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Hard-Cooked Eggs Recalled for Possible Listeria Contamination

Food distributors and manufacturers should be on the lookout for hard-cooked eggs in brine that are being recalled in West Virginia and 33 other states due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination, according to Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass.

None of the eggs were sold directly to retail consumers, but they may have been used in products that were sold to retail outlets or used in food service settings. The eggs were produced by Michael Foods, Inc., and distributed in 10- and 25-pound pails under the Columbia Valley Farms, GFS, Glenview Farms, Papetti’s, Silverbrook and Wholesome Farms brand names.

“Human health is the primary mission of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture,” said Commissioner Douglass. “Food-borne pathogens can turn up anywhere, and we are working diligently to make improvements to our food safety laboratories. Hopefully we will be able to move them to more appropriate facilities in the coming year.”

The recalled products have lot codes of 1 LOT 1350W through 1 LOT 2025W, and expiration dates ranging from 01.30.2012 to 03.10.2012. Only lot codes immediately preceded by a “1” AND ending in a “W” are affected.

Michael Foods is working with customers who purchased eggs from these lots to ensure that affected product is removed from the market. Wholesale buyers who believe they might have purchased recalled eggs or those who are unsure should contact the original place of purchase.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness associated with this recall, but Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. It can also cause miscarriages and stillbirths. However, healthy individuals generally suffer only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea from Listeria infection.

For more information regarding this recall, call Michael Foods at 877.367.3447, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Reminder for Parents: Additional Shot Requirements

Additional school shots will be required for the 2012-2013 school year.

• 7th Graders must show proof of a booster dose of Tdap vaccine which protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough) and a dose of MCV4 (meningitis) vaccine.

• 12th Graders also must show proof of a single dose of Tdap, plus a booster dose of the meningitis vaccine. If your child will be turning 16 before school starts, they must get the meningitis vaccine booster in order to go to the 12th grade.

Your child can get these and any other needed immunizations at the Minnie Hamilton Health System Grantsville Office, Glenville Office, or the School Based Clinics.

For more information regarding the new requirements or to make an appointment call the Grantsville Office at 304.354.9244 or our Glenville Office Pediatric Clinic at 304.462.5909.

Public Notice: City of Glenville - Ordinaces Regarding Dogs

Friday, January 27, 2012

WVSP: Man Dies from Tainted Moonshine; Don’t Drink It

The death of a man in Doddridge County has sparked a police investigation and troopers want you to be safe.

A man in his 60’s died this week at Ruby Memorial Hospital, supposedly after drinking poisoned moonshine he got in the county.

WV State Police Troopers say the unidentified man drank from a bottle of moonshine he got from a friend last Saturday night.

He was flown to Ruby Memorial Hospital after what was believed to be stroke symptoms.

He died at the hospital this week.

After testing and investigations, it was determined that the tainted moonshine shut down the man’s internal organs.

Troopers say you take a risk drinking illegally made moonshine because there’s no guarantee that it meets the safety regulations of the FDA.

“You don’t know what they’re putting in it. You don’t know how they’re creating it or producing it. So when you get something from the store, obviously it’s had to meet the standards of the US government and the FDA. Illegal moonshine is dangerous. You have to really be careful when you get things like this. We’ve had several poisoning cases in the past and that’s just a risk you don’t need to take,“ says Sgt. Wayne Vessels.

Investigators believe they know where the moonshine came from but they’re working to stop any more from getting to the public.

If you bought moonshine recently in the Doddridge County area, you do not need to call the state police but troopers are advising you not to drink it.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

ARSON REWARD: Braxton County Family Offers Reward in 2010 Arson

The Meadows family has offered a $25,000 reward for an arrest or arrests in the arson case at their home in the Meadow Valley area of Braxton County.

According to the police report, a fire was set at the home and the owner’s two barns.

Police did find a flare and some other fire causing materials on the property.

The investigation was turned over to the West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office.

If you have any information you can contact them at 304.558.2191.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Reminder for Parents: Additional Shot Requirements

Additional school shots will be required for the 2012-2013 school year.

• 7th Graders must show proof of a booster dose of Tdap vaccine which protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough) and a dose of MCV4 (meningitis) vaccine.

• 12th Graders also must show proof of a single dose of Tdap, plus a booster dose of the meningitis vaccine. If your child will be turning 16 before school starts, they must get the meningitis vaccine booster in order to go to the 12th grade.

Your child can get these and any other needed immunizations at the Minnie Hamilton Health System Grantsville Office, Glenville Office, or the School Based Clinics.

For more information regarding the new requirements or to make an appointment call the Grantsville Office at 304.354.9244 or our Glenville Office Pediatric Clinic at 304.462.5909.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

GCPSD: Boil Water Advisory Lifted for Residents in Gilmer County

The Gilmer County Public Service District has lifted the boil water advisory for the Troy area.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Boil Water Advisory Issued for Residents in Gilmer County

DUE TO A MAINLINE WATER BREAK, THE GILMER COUNTY PSD HAS ISSUED A BOIL WATER ADVISORY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE IN THE TROY AREA BEGINNING AT THE DAMON WEST RESIDENCE TO THE END OF THE LINE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU MAY CALL THE PSD OFFICE AT 304.462.4272.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

CANCELLED: Congressman McKinley Hosting Town Hall at GSC

Congressman McKinley (R-WV) will be hosting a town hall meeting in Glenville on Monday evening, January 16, 2012 to discuss the upcoming legislative year with local residents.

This event is open to the public. Attendees can begin arriving as early as 6:00 PM to sign in and submit any questions.

Who:  Rep. David B. McKinley

When: Monday, January 16, 2012
6:00 PM Doors Open
6:30 PM McKinley Opening Remarks
6:40 PM Q & A
7:25 PM McKinley Concluding Remarks

Where:  Glenville State College
Alan B. Mollohan Campus Community Center
Multipurpose Room
Glenville, WV 26351

Friday, January 13, 2012

Closings & Delays Due to Weather - Friday 01.13.12

Please Send Us Your Closings and Delays

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

G-TechNote™: How to Steal an Identity in Seven Easy Steps

Herbert Thompson seems like just another smart academic software developer who loves formulas and geeking out. But he’s also stolen the identities of several casual acquaintances. In fact in one case he gained access to a bank account in seven shockingly simple steps. And he used no special programming tricks, just common sense.

Thompson stole identities as an experiment back in 2008 to show the public how easy it is to get access to personal data and banking information. He proved it only requires some simple surfing for freely available personal data and cobbling it together in powerfully creative ways.  Thompson began his experiments by first receiving permission from people he barely knew to try to break into their bank accounts. What the following steps show is how vulnerable we all are to security breach.

The victim:

He knew her name was Kim, where she was from, where she worked and roughly her age. He also knew the name of her bank and her username although as Thompson says, this was easy to guess—it was her first initial and last name. (Note: Change your username to something a bit less obvious.)

Seven Steps:

1)    Google search. He googles her. Finds a blog and a resume. (Thompson CALLED her blog a “goldmine.”) He gets information about grandparents, pets, hometown. Most important he gets her college email address and current gmail address.

2)    Next stop: Password recovery feature on her bank’s web site. He attempts to reset her bank password. But the bank sends a reset link to her email, which he does not have access to. So he needs to get access to her gmail.

3)    Gmail access. He attempts to reset her gmail password but gmail sends this to her college email address. Gmail tells you this address’  domain (at least it did in 2008 when Thompson conducted the experiments) so he knew he had to get access to that specific address.

4)    College email account page. Thompson clicks the “forgot password” link on this page and winds up facing a few questions. Home address, home zip code and home country? No problem, Thompson has it all from her resume. The same resume found from the simple google search done earlier. Then came a stumbling block: the college wanted her birthday. But he only had a rough idea of her age, no actual birth date.

5)    State traffic court web site. Apparently you can search for violations and court appearances by name! And such records include a birth date. (Facebook also makes this piece of data very easy to get even if people do not note their birth year…remember Thompson knew roughly how old Kim was.) But he had no luck with the Department of Motor Vehicles.

6)    Thompson goes back to the blog and does a search for “birthday.” He gets a date but no year.

7)    Finally, Thompson attempts the college reset password again. He fills in her birth date, and simply guesses the year. He gets it wrong. But the site gives him five chances, and tells him which field has the error. So he continues to guess. He gets access in under five guesses. He changes her college password. This gives him access to her gmail password reset email. Google requires some personal information which he is able to get easily from her blog (e.g., father’s middle name.) Thompson changes the gmail password and that gives him access to the bank account reset password email. Here again he is asked for personal information but nothing that he could not glean from Kim’s blog (e.g., pet name and phone number.) He resets the bank password and bingo, has immediate access to all her records and money.

From Thompson:

Needless to say, Kim was disturbed. Her whole digital identity sat precariously on the foundation of her college e-mail account; once I had access to it, the rest of the security defenses fell like a row of dominoes. What’s striking about Kim’s case is how common it is. For many of us, the abundance of personal information we put online combined with the popular model of sending a password reset e-mail has our online security resting unsteadily on the shoulders of one or two e-mail accounts.

Yes in this case the personal information came from her blog but it could have easily come from a Facebook page or other online community pages.

Thompson provides sage advice on Scientific American:

Go and do a self-check. Try to reset you passwords and see what questions are asked to verify your identity. Some questions are better than others. Date of birth, for example, is bad. In addition to the DMV, there is a wealth of public records available online where folks can track down when you were born. Most account reset features give you a choice of questions or methods to use. Go for questions that ask about obscure things that you won’t forget (or can at least look up), like your favorite frequent flyer number. Avoid questions that are easy to guess, such as which state you opened your bank account in.

It’s also critical to remember that once you put data online, it’s almost impossible to delete it later. The more you blog about yourself, the more details you put in your social networking profiles, the more information about you is being archived, copied, backed up and analyzed almost immediately. Think first, post later.

~~  by Christie Nicholson ~~

GFP - 01.11.2012
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Tuesday, January 10, 2012

G-TechNote™: Zeus Returns: FBI Warns of ‘Gameover’ ID-Theft Malware

A new variant of the notorious Zeus identity-theft Trojan is making the rounds and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) says it is capable of defeating common methods of user authentication employed by financial institutions.

The latest strain of the ID-theft malware, called Gameover, begins as a phishing scheme with spam e-mails — purportedly from the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA), the Federal Reserve Bank, or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) — that leads to malware infection and eventual access to the victim’s bank account.

From the FBI warning:

The malware is appropriately called “Gameover” because once it’s on your computer, it can steal usernames and passwords and defeat common methods of user authentication employed by financial institutions. And once the crooks get into your bank account, it’s definitely “game over.”

Gameover is a newer variant of the Zeus malware, which was created several years ago and specifically targeted banking information.

The FBI said the phishing lures typically includes a link in the e-mail that goes to a phony website.  ”Once you’re there, you inadvertently download the Gameover malware, which promptly infects your computer and steals your banking information,” it warned.

The FBI said recent investigations have shown that some of the funds stolen from bank accounts go towards the purchase of precious stones and expensive watches from high-end jewelry stores.

The criminals contact these jewelry stores, tell them what they’d like to buy, and promise they will wire the money the next day. So the next day, a person involved in the money laundering aspect of the crime—called a “money mule”—comes into the store to pick up the merchandise. After verifying that the money is in the store’s account, the jewelry is turned over to the mule, who then gives the items to the organizers of the scheme or converts them for cash and uses money transfer services to launder the funds.

<i>~~ By Ryan Naraine ~~</i>

Monday, January 09, 2012

Voluntary Recall Issued on Excedrin, Bufferin, NoDoz and Gas-X

Drugmaker Novartis is voluntarily recalling bottles of Excedrin, NoDoz, Gas-X-Prevention and Bufferin in the U.S. because they may contain stray pills or broken or chipped tablets.

Select bottles of these over the counter medications are under recall after an internal review and complaints of “broken gelcaps, chipped tablets and inconsistent bottle packaging line clearance practices” where inspectors could not rule out the possibility of pills getting into the wrong bottles, according to a release from the company.

The company has not received any complaints about the possible mix-ups or broken tablets.

Here are all medications on the recall list:

• All Bufferin products expiring December 20, 2013 or earlier, including regular strength tablets, low dose tablets and extra-strength tablets.
• All Gas-X Prevention products expiring December 20, 2013 or earlier.
• All NoDoz products expiring December 20, 2014 or earlier.
• All of the following Excedrin products expiring December 20, 2014 or earlier: Excedrin Extra Strength Caplets, Excedrin Extra Strength Express Gel Caplets, Excedrin Extra Strength Gel Caplets, Excedrin Extra Strength Tablets, Excedrin Back & Body Caplets, Excedrin Sinus Headache Caplets, Excedrin Migraine Caplets, Excedrin Migraine Gel Tablets, Excedrin Migraine Tablets, Excedrin Menstrual Complete Express Gel Caplets, Excedrin PM Caplets, Excedrin PM Express Gel Caplets, Excedrin PM Tablets, Excedrin Tension Headache Caplets, Excedrin Tension Headache Express Gel Caplets, Excedrin Tension Headache Gel Tablets

Novartis is asking that all medications on the list either be destroyed or returned. Visit the Novartis website for a product return and reimbursement form.

Saturday, January 07, 2012

West Union: Boil Water Advisory for Saturday, January 07, 2012

West Union Water System has issued a boil water advisory for Saturday, January 07, 2011 for parts of West Union.

Areas that will be affected are:

•  Avondale

•  Smithburg

•  Fairview

•  Coastal Lumber

Water service will be off for repair of lines along old Route 50.

Officials said this problem may cause possible contamination of water upon water pressure lose.