The Federal Bureau of Inquiry confirmed today that the
hackers responsible for the redirection of the Avondale Trucking Company delivery
of chlorine cylinders used in this
week’s attack on a Palo Alto elementary school were apparently provided to
the Students for Immediate Neutralization of Chlorine Technology and Energy
Reversion (SFINCTER) by an outside agency. The FBI’s investigation of that
possible source is continuing.
Johnathan Quest, the FBI spokesman, noted that while blocking
GPS signals is a relatively simple technology, the level of sophistication seen
in Monday’s attack is much higher and well beyond the known level of sophistication
of SFINCTER. That attack was made possible by spoofing GPS signals in the area
of the truck to change the trucks route to take it to the fence outside of the
elementary school
A suspect arrested in an earlier attempted
attack by SFINCTER told the FBI yesterday that he had seen an unknown
person training two SFINCTER associates on the GPS equipment. This according to
an FBI source that asked to remain unidentified because she was not authorized
to talk to the press. The suspect’s description of the trainer would seem to
indicate that it was a Middle Eastern national with relatively good command of
the English language.
A communique from SFINCTER provided to multiple news
organizations this morning reported that it was receiving international assistance
in expanding its attacks against ‘heartless corporate interests that were
responsible for thousands of people of color being harmed collateral chemical
attacks”. The message went on to say that the only crime these victims of
corporate greed and neglect was being poor and living near chemical facilities.
SFINCTER promised to continue attacks like that seen Monday to “allow the
privileged community to share in the pain that the under privileged have
experienced for years”.
ECS-CERT is continuing to provide assistance to the FBI in
the investigation of this incident. Immanuel C. Securitage, ECS-CERT spokesman,
told reporters this morning that his organization had found indications that
unknown hackers had gained access to the Avondale Trucking company servers and
accessed scheduling information to determine the which vehicle would be
involved in Monday’s delivery and the planned route that vehicle was supposed
to take to the water treatment facility. Having this information would have
been necessary to execute the GPS attack on the vehicle.
Rep. Harvey Milk (D,CA) introduced legislation today that
would require all trucks carrying toxic chemicals to use military-grade encrypted
GPS systems to avoid spoofing attacks. The bill would also require trucking
companies to inform police and emergency response personnel of the planned
routes and timing of all toxic chemical shipments. Toxic chemical delivery routes
would have to avoid public and private schools by at least one-half mile. The
Chair of the House Transportation Committee promised a hearing on the bill this
week.
Milk also announced that he has asked the Justice Department
to investigate why the Trucking Security Agency has not published security
regulations that were mandated by Congress six years ago.
CAUTIONARY NOTE: This is a future news story –
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