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Volume 22 — Issue 16 | April 21, 2022

NIOSH announces new study on cancers linked to 9/11

This week, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced the results of a three-year study on cancer incidence, latency, and survival in World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers.

Tens of thousands of workers responded to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. The 9/11-exposed workforce includes police officers, firefighters, construction workers, communications workers, emergency medical services personnel, and a wide variety of other workers and community volunteers.

Although many cancer studies have been conducted on this population of workers since 9/11, many studies used only a partial segment of this population, and studies used different methodologies, limiting how the results of these studies could be used in future research.

For the first time, researchers have combined the three distinct occupational groups within this population into a single, coherent data set, providing a larger sample size and a valuable resource for future studies on cancers and mortality.

The three occupational groups were:

1. Responders affiliated with the FDNY.
2. General responders - all responders who assisted with response, rescue and recovery efforts who were not active members of FDNY.
3. Other 9/11 workers enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR).

The first two groups are medically monitored and treated through one of the WTC Health Program’s Clinical Centers of Excellence (CCEs). Data from these groups are collected, managed, and analyzed by the FDNY WTC Data Center and the WTC Data Center at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The third group is managed by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. This group is periodically surveyed but is not medically monitored or treated by a WTC CCE, making it a relevant but distinct population from the first two groups for the purpose of studying cancer.

Once the three groups were combined, their cancer incidence, latency and survival rates were analyzed. Notable findings included discovery of previously unreported increased risk of tonsil cancers, and confirmation of previous findings that those participating in the WTC medical monitoring and treatment programs had significantly higher cancer survival rates than the general population.

NIOSH administers the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program and funds medical research into physical and mental health conditions related to 9/11 exposures. For a full summary of the study’s findings, read the article in NIOSH’s Science Blog.

(Source: NIOSH)

Highlights

NIOSH announces new study on cancers linked to 9/11

FEMA updates 25 NIMS resource types for fire management and suppression

NIST releases first-of-its-kind holistic home and community wildfire protection methodology

Webinar: How is 5G impacting emergency communications?

Cyber Threats

The U.S. Fire Administration operates the Emergency Management and Response – Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EMR-ISAC).

For information regarding the EMR-ISAC visit www.usfa.dhs.gov/emr-isac or contact the EMR-ISAC office at: (301) 447-1325 and/or fema-emr-isac@fema.dhs.gov.

FEMA updates 25 NIMS resource types for fire management and suppression

After a public engagement period at the end of 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) National Integration Center has released updates to 25 fire management and suppression resource types.

The 25 updated documents include 9 position qualifications for personnel, 6 typed teams, and 10 types of equipment.

Resource typing is a key component of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and enables organizations from across the country to work together during incidents of all types and sizes. Implementing NIMS resource management principles across the nation is a fundamental part of building our national preparedness.

For full descriptions of each of the updated fire management and suppression personnel, teams and equipment, see FEMA’s Resource Typing Library Tool (RTLT).

(Source: FEMA)

NIST releases first-of-its-kind holistic home and community wildfire protection methodology

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a report last month providing guidance for homeowners and communities to protect themselves from wildfires: the WUI Structure/Parcel/Community Fire Hazard Mitigation Methodology.

Wildfires can spread through a community very quickly, especially one with dense housing. Often, the progression of wildfire is too fast for firefighters to feasibly defend every structure. Millions of properties in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) must be hardened so that these structures can stand alone during a wildfire - without intervention from firefighters - and still survive.

NIST’s new Hazard Mitigation Methodology (HMM) defines dozens of clear and measurable protective actions homeowners can take to defend their homes in a cost-effective way. The HMM is backed by the latest post-fire field observations and fire science research. It integrates the latest building codes and standards, using multi-parcel, spatial relationships between fuel sources, such as woodpiles, sheds, fences, landscaping, and vegetation.

The methodology was explicitly designed for retrofitting existing WUI communities, and it includes considerations that attempt to limit retrofit expenses. However, the HMM can also be applied to new construction.

NIST’s new HMM stands out in several ways:

• It is based on the science of WUI fire behavior. The HMM uses a hazard assessment that incorporates exposures to flames and embers, which are the two distinct ways that all wildfires spread through communities.
• It couples exposures to structure hardening. The spatial relationships between all fuel sources surrounding a structure are considered, along with exposure risks and how much the existing structure is already hardened.
• It uses a multi-parcel, holistic approach to mitigation. Hardening each structure and creating defensible space around it requires a “multi-parcel” approach where all fuel sources in neighboring parcels are considered. The implementation of this strategy by every residence within the community is especially critical in crowded neighborhoods where only a few feet may separate homes.

The HMM addresses significant gaps in current fire codes and regulations, especially the lack of measures addressing fire spread between properties. NIST researchers encourage the adoption of the HMM by local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) as a set of best practices which can eventually be incorporated into existing building codes and standards.

NIST worked closely with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) researchers to produce the new HMM. California’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and CAL FIRE are using the HMM to assess and upgrade the properties of homeowners through the recently launched California Wildfire Mitigation Program.

The HMM will continue to be adapted and revised as additional science and technical findings become available. You can access the new HMM on NIST’s website.

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) collaborates with NIST to translate NIST’s fire-science-driven guidance into communication and education for fire service practitioners and the public. For resources from USFA supported by NIST’s research, see the USFA’s recent article on factors influencing home survivability after a wildfire, a Home Hardening Tip Sheet, and social media cards to educate homeowners on how to harden their homes and prepare for wildfires.

(Sources: NIST, USFA)

Webinar: How is 5G impacting emergency communications?

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) will host a webinar on Wednesday, June 29, at 1 p.m. EST entitled How is 5G impacting emergency communications?

The SAFECOM Nationwide Survey found that more public safety organizations (60%) are currently using a cellular system than land-mobile radio (57%), and therefore, need to be prepared for the deployment of 5G – the fifth-generation technology standard for cellular networks.

New and emerging technologies offer advanced capabilities to enhance command, control, and situational awareness for emergency response. Yet, the rapid rate of technology advancement continues to outpace the public safety community acquisition cycle.

The arrival of 5G is transforming the way we communicate, introducing a vast array of new connections, capabilities, and services. As telecommunications networks are evolving to this next generation of wireless technology, 5G presents the opportunity to enhance operations, support information-sharing, improve efficiency and response time, augment security, and increase capacity for more connected devices.

In this webinar, participants will learn about:

• 5G capabilities and impacts on public safety communications.
• The CISA 5G Strategy and other resources on preparing for emerging technologies.
• Leveraging the National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) to address emerging technology challenges.

This webinar is presented in partnership with CISA’s National Risk Management Center as part of its Implementing the National Emergency Communications Plan webinar series.

No advanced registration for this webinar is required. Simply visit CISA’s HSIN Connect Room at the following link at the scheduled time to join: https://share.dhs.gov/necpwebinars.

(Source: CISA)

Cyber Incident Assistance

MS-ISAC
SOC@cisecurity.org
1-866-787-4722

IdentityTheft.gov

IC3

Cybercrime Support Network

General Information

StopRansomware.gov

CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog

FTC scam list

CISA alerts

Law Enforcement Cyber Center

TLP Information

CISA, FBI, NSA, and international partners issue advisory on demonstrated threats and capabilities of Russian state-sponsored and cybercriminal actors

CISA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), National Security Agency (NSA), Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS), National Cyber Security Centre New Zealand (NZ NCSC), and the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-UK) and National Crime Agency (NCA), with contributions from industry members of the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative, issued a joint Cybersecurity Advisory on Russian state-sponsored and criminal cyber threats to critical infrastructure that could impact organizations both within and beyond Ukraine. 

It is the most comprehensive view of the cyber threat posed by Russia to critical infrastructure released by government cyber experts since the invasion of Ukraine in February.

(Source: CISA)

North Korean state-sponsored APT targets blockchain companies

CISA,  the FBI, and the U.S. Treasury Department have released a joint Cybersecurity Advisory (CSA) that details cyber threats associated with cryptocurrency thefts and tactics used by a North Korean state-sponsored advanced persistent threat (APT) actor known as the Lazarus Group. CISA encourages organizations to review joint CSA: TraderTraitor: North Korean State-Sponsored APT Targets Blockchain Companies and apply the recommendations.

(Source: CISA)

Ransomware attacks on agricultural cooperatives potentially timed to critical seasons

The FBI is informing Food and Agriculture (FA) sector partners that ransomware actors may be more likely to attack agricultural cooperatives during critical planting and harvest seasons, disrupting operations, causing financial loss, and negatively impacting the food supply chain. The FBI noted ransomware attacks during these seasons against six grain cooperatives during the fall 2021 harvest and two attacks in early 2022 that could impact the planting season by disrupting the supply of seeds and fertilizer.

(Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center - IC3)

BlackCat/ALPHV Ransomware Indicators of Compromise

As of March 2022, BlackCat/ALPHV ransomware as a service (RaaS) had compromised at least 60 entities worldwide and is the first ransomware group to do so successfully using RUST, considered to be a more secure programming language that offers improved performance and reliable concurrent processing. BlackCat-affiliated threat actors typically request ransom payments of several million dollars in Bitcoin and Monero but have accepted ransom payments below the initial ransom demand amount. Many of the developers and money launderers for BlackCat/ALPHV are linked to Darkside/Blackmatter, indicating they have extensive networks and experience with ransomware operations.

(Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center – IC3)

Wind turbine firm Nordex hit by Conti ransomware attack

The Conti ransomware operation has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on wind turbine giant Nordex, which was forced to shut down IT systems and remote access to the managed turbines earlier this month. Nordex is one of the largest developers and manufacturers of wind turbines globally, with more than 8,500 employees worldwide. On April 2nd, Nordex disclosed that they had suffered a cyberattack that was detected early and that the company had shut down its IT systems to prevent the spread of the attack.

Conti is an elite ransomware operation operated by a Russian hacking group known for other notorious malware infections, including Ryuk, TrickBot, and BazarLoader.

(Source: Bleeping Computer)

CISA expands the joint cyber defense collaborative to include industrial control systems industry expertise

CISA announced the expansion of the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative (JCDC) to include Industrial Control Systems (ICS) experts—security vendors, integrators, and distributors—to further increase U.S. government focus on the cybersecurity and resilience of industrial control systems and operational technology (ICS/OT). Companies initially joining the JCDC-ICS effort include Bechtel, Claroty, Dragos, GE, Honeywell, Nozomi Networks, Schneider Electric, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Siemens, and Xylem, as well as several JCDC Alliance partners.

JCDC-ICS will build on the existing platform of the JCDC by taking advantage of the knowledge, visibility, and capabilities of the ICS community to build plans around the protection and defense of control systems; inform U.S. government guidance on ICS/OT cybersecurity; and contribute to real time operational fusion across private and public partners in the ICS/OT space. More information about CISA’s work with the ICS community is available at www.cisa.gov/ics.

(Source: CISA)

The InfoGram is distributed weekly to provide members of the Emergency Services Sector with information concerning the protection of their critical infrastructures.

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