Chinese Cyber Attacks Are Now Targeting Industrial Control Systems

Calgary-based Telvent, headquartered on Southport Road S.W., warned customers about the attack, which hit operations in the United States, Canada and Spain, the cyber security news site KrebsOnSecurity.com reported on Wednesday. Photograph by: Screen grab, Google Street View

China Cyberspies Suspected In New Caper: What Has Experts Worried -- Christian Science Monitor

A China-based cyberespionage gang is suspected in the hacking of a major industrial control system firm in Canada. Experts warn the theft could facilitate creation of a cyberweapon.

A China-based cyberespionage gang has been linked to the infiltration of networks belonging to Telvent Canada, a major industrial control system company, in a case that some experts warn could facilitate creation of a dangerous cyberweapon.

The cyberspies, thought to be from a gang that security researchers call the "Comment Group" or sometimes the "Shanghai group," slipped past a corporate firewall, installing malicious software on the network – then snatched project files related to one of Telvent's major software products, according to KrebsOnSecurity, a cybersecurity blog that first reported the breach Wednesday.

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Update #1: Report points finger at China as Calgary-based oilpatch software firm recovers from hacker attack -- Calgary Herald/Reuters
Update #2: National power-grid tech blueprints 'stolen by Chinese hackers' -- The Register

My Comment: Incidents like this one makes you wonder if this scenario can become reality one day.

Senior Al Qaeda Leader Living In Libya

Image of al-Libi from the FBI poster seeking information to help in his capture

EXCLUSIVE: Senior al Qaeda Figure 'Living In Libyan Capital' -- CNN

A veteran al Qaeda operative indicted in connection with the bombings of two U.S. embassies in East Africa is alive and well in Libya, according to Western intelligence sources.

Abu Anas al Libi, 48, has been seen in the capital, Tripoli, the sources say, and there is concern that he may have been tasked with establishing an al Qaeda network in Libya. It's unclear whether Libya's government is aware of his presence, or whether it has been approached by Western governments seeking al Libi's arrest.

One Libyan official told CNN he didn't know whether al Libi was back in Tripoli but was aware that he had been in Afghanistan.

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My Comment: I suspect that he is not the only senior Al Qaeda leader living in Libya.

U.S. Intelligence Takes The Fall For Not Providing The Proper Intel To The White House On The Benghazi US Consulate Attack

Intelligence Office Says It Got Libya Attack Wrong, Not White House -- McClatchy News

WASHINGTON — Extremists from groups linked to al Qaida struck the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, in a “deliberate and organized terrorist attack,” the top U.S. intelligence agency said Friday, as it took responsibility for the Obama administration’s initial claims that the deadly assault grew from a spontaneous protest against an anti-Islam video.

The unusual statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence appeared to have two goals: updating the public on the latest findings of the investigation into the assault, and shielding the White House from a political backlash over its original accounts.

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More News On The Office Of The Director Of National Intelligence Trying To Explain Evolving Intelligence On Benghazi

In statement, spy chief’s office defends evolving accounts of Benghazi attack, cites shifting intelligence -- Washington Post
Office of the Director of National Intelligence Tries to Explain Evolving Intelligence on Benghazi -- ABC News
In revision, U.S. intelligence believes Libya attack a terror assault -- CNN
US intelligence now says Benghazi attack "deliberate and organized" -- Reuters
Top intelligence official backtracks on Libya story, says initial assessment premature -- FOX News
U.S. Intelligence Finds Organized Terrorist Attack in Libya -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Romney backtracks after criticizing Obama over Libya attack -- L.A. Times

My Comment: I call this "dumping bad news" in a late Friday public announcement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. But here is an easy prediction .... this announcement will not even going to come close to satisfying the critics who believe that the administration knew that the US consulate attacks was a terrorist attack .... but choose to spin a different story. As to what is my take .... what a "screw-up" .... and we still do not know who knew what was happening, who was informed, who pushed the "spontaneous riot" story (and why), and why was this spin continued for almost two weeks when everyone knew that this was a terrorist attack.

This has now become (officially) a major national security and intelligence failure .... and I do expect to see the Director of National Intelligence hauled in front of a Senate Committee by next week.

The Case For Cutting-Off Aid To Egypt

Give Egypt's Aid Money to Libya -- Michael Totten, Wall Street Journal

Consider how differently the governments in each country have behaved in the last couple of weeks.

The U.S. Senate voted down a bill this weekend that would have frozen aid money to Pakistan, Egypt and Libya. The bill's sponsor, Republican Sen. Rand Paul, was right that Egypt no longer deserves American aid. But Libya does. Libya needs help, and it needs help right now. Libya should not only continue receiving the aid it's already slated to get from Washington. Libya should also get Egypt's.

Consider how differently the governments in each country have behaved in the last couple of weeks.

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My Comment: Michael Totten has also written a post on how a proper U.S. ally should act. That commentary is here.

Update: U.S. plan for emergency Egypt aid hits roadblock -- Reuters

President Obama And Israeli PM Netanyahu Discuss Iran By Telephone

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks on the phone with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in the Oval Office in this September 28, 2012 White House handout photograph. REUTERS/Pete Souza/The White House/Handout

White House: Obama, Netanyahu Agree On Iran -- Voice of America

WHITE HOUSE — The White House says President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are in full agreement on wanting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. The two leaders discussed the issue by telephone Friday, and the Israeli leader also was scheduled to do so with Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

A White House statement says the president and the prime minister spoke as part of their regular consultations, and that Obama reaffirmed his “unshakeable commitment to Israel’s security.”

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More News On Today's Discussion Between President Obama And Israeli PM Netanyahu

Obama, Netanyahu seek to get past Iran differences -- Reuters
Netanyahu Gets To Obama by Phone -- Wall Street Journal
White House: US, Israel in full agreement on stopping Iran -- Jerusalem Post

The Fight For The Syrian City Of Aleppo Intensifies

Fighting Rages Across Syrian City Of Aleppo -- L.A. Times

BEIRUT -- Some of the fiercest clashes in weeks in the Syrian city of Aleppo were reported Friday as rebels said they were pressing a “decisive” battle for the besieged northern metropolis.

As night fell, it was unclear if either side had made any substantial advances in the city, which has been divided between government and opposition forces for more than two months. The battle had evolved into a brutal war of attrition until Friday's spike in urban combat.

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More News For the Battle Of Aleppo

Syria crisis: fight for Aleppo - Friday 28 September 2012 -- The Guardian
Syrian rebels launch broadest push yet for Aleppo -- AP
Rebel Offensive Intensifies in Syria's Largest City -- Wall Street Journal
Aleppo Fight Intensifies, as U.N. Warns of Rising Flow of Refugees -- New York Times
Syrian Rebels Are In 'Decisive Battle For Aleppo' As The Regime Hits Back In Damascus -- Business Insider
Aleppo clashes as Syria rebels launch 'decisive' battle -- BBC
Syria rebels struggle to advance in new Aleppo offensive -- Reuters
Fierce fighting reported in Syria's Aleppo -- Al Jazeera
Inside Aleppo: a city where the people are dying in droves -- The Middle East Times
Unprecedented fighting in Syria's Aleppo: residents, NGO -- Ahram Online
Battles Rage in Aleppo, Damascus -- Voice of America

Pentagon: Syria Has Moved Some Chemical Weapons

Syrians Moved Some Chemical Weapons To Boost Security-U.S. -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Syrians have moved some of their chemical weapons capability to better secure it, but the country's main chemical weapons sites remain intact and secure under government control, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said on Friday, citing U.S. intelligence.

Responding to questions about the security of Syria's chemical weapons sites, Panetta said U.S. intelligence showed the major Syrian sites were secure in government hands, but some chemicals had been moved.

It was not clear when the movement took place, or even if it was recent, but Panetta told a Pentagon news conference it had occurred in more than one case.

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More News On Syria Moving Some Of It's Chemical Weapons

Panetta says Syria moved some chemical weapons -- AP
US Intel Lost Track of Syrian Chemical Weapons -- Military.com
Syria has ‘moved chemical weapons’ -- The National/AFP
Syrians moving chemical weapons for security -- CNN
Syria 'moving chemical weapons to safety' - Panetta -- BBC
Panetta: U.S. monitors Syria chem weapons -- UPI
Panetta: Syria has moved chemical weapons to increase security -- Haaretz/Reuters and DPA
Panetta: Syria Has Moved Some Chemical Weapons -- Arutz Sheva

My Comment: What I find disturbing about these reports is that US intelligence has lost track of some of these chemical weapons .... and if this defector is to be believed .... Syria will use these chemical weapons if it starts to feel threatened.