Emergency and disaster management briefing for April 13, 2016: Another case of Elizabethkingia surfaces, this time in Illinois, a new study finds that many islands around the globe may soon have drinking water shortages, and a new report says that the FBI paid hackers a one-time fee to unlock the San Bernardino iPhone.

1. The Illinois Department of Public Health announced yesterday [link url=”http://abc7chicago.com/health/illinois-death-linked-to-elizabethkingia-outbreak-that-killed-18/1287763/” title=”one confirmed case of Elizabethkingia“] in the state — a resident who died earlier in 2016. This raises the death toll from the rare infection to 20: Wisconsin reports 57 confirmed cases and 18 deaths, Michigan reports a single confirmed case that resulted in death and now Illinois [link url=”http://www.kcci.com/health/elizabethkingia-outbreak-spreads-source-still-a-mystery/38993774″ title=”has a single confirmed case“] that also resulted in death. The source of the outbreak [link url=”http://www.kcci.com/health/elizabethkingia-outbreak-spreads-source-still-a-mystery/38993774″ title=”remains a mystery.“]
2. Island nations around the globe are no stranger to climate change, as concerns of global sea level rise are all too real. Now, these islands may have another worry to add to the list: [link url=”https://amuedge.com/study-islands-are-drying-out-due-to-climate-change/” title=”dwindling drinking water.“] A new study found that up to 73 percent of islands in the world could be impacted by [link url=”https://amuedge.com/study-islands-are-drying-out-due-to-climate-change/” title=”substantially more arid conditions“] by the middle of the century.
3. New reports surfaced yesterday that the [link url=”https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/fbi-paid-professional-hackers-one-time-fee-to-crack-san-bernardino-iphone/2016/04/12/5397814a-00de-11e6-9d36-33d198ea26c5_story.html” title=”FBI paid hackers to unlock the iPhone“] of one of the San Bernardino shooters. The FBI reportedly paid a one-time fee to hackers who [link url=”https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/fbi-paid-professional-hackers-one-time-fee-to-crack-san-bernardino-iphone/2016/04/12/5397814a-00de-11e6-9d36-33d198ea26c5_story.html” title=”exploited at least one previously unknown security flaw“] in order to unlock the phone. The U.S. government is now weighing [link url=”https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/fbi-paid-professional-hackers-one-time-fee-to-crack-san-bernardino-iphone/2016/04/12/5397814a-00de-11e6-9d36-33d198ea26c5_story.html” title=”whether to disclose the flaw or flaws to Apple.“]

[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/hackers-charge-just-129-to-access-personal-email-500-for-corporate-accounts-report-finds/”]

1. Ride-sharing company Uber revealed yesterday that it had provided data on [link url=”http://www.reuters.com/article/us-uber-tech-data-idUSKCN0X91R5″ title=”469 users and more than 12 million riders“] to federal authorities between July and December 2015. Uber said that it [link url=”http://www.reuters.com/article/us-uber-tech-data-idUSKCN0X91R5″ title=”received 415 requests from law enforcement agencies,“] and provided information in almost 85 percent of the cases. The company provided information on trips, trip requests, pickup and drop-off areas, fares, vehicles, and drivers.

[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/privacy-vs-security-the-debate-that-cannot-end/”]

1. Hawaii Governor David Ige [link url=”http://bigislandnow.com/2016/04/12/governor-ige-extends-emergency-period-on-mosquito-borne-illnesses/” title=”extended the state’s emergency period for combating mosquito-borne illnesses“] this week, which will lengthen the state of emergency by an additional 60 days. The emergency proclamation [link url=”http://khon2.com/2016/04/12/governor-extends-emergency-period-to-prevent-mosquito-borne-illnesses/” title=”gives the state access to the Major Disaster Fund,“] which will help it combat the growing threat of mosquito borne illnesses such as dengue fever, Zika virus and chikungunya in the coming months.

[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/the-battle-for-zika-funds-to-be-continued/” url2=”https://amuedge.com/saturday-guest-blog-zika-preparation-in-south-florida/” url3=”https://amuedge.com/gaining-comfort-with-public-health-emergencies/”]

1. Airlines have a 2020 deadline to meet for reducing or offsetting carbon emissions, as specified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). One way for airlines to offset emissions is to [link url=”https://amuedge.com/forests-can-help-offset-aviation-carbon-emissions/” title=”take part in the REDD+ initiative,“] a collaborative initiative on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation. [link url=”https://amuedge.com/forests-can-help-offset-aviation-carbon-emissions/” title=”Delta Airlines, United Airlines,“] and others already take part in the initiative, and other airlines are likely to follow.
2. The North East Independent School District (ISD) in San Antonio, TX was recently hit with a [link url=”http://www.kens5.com/news/local/ransomware-attacks-20-northeast-isd-schools/125053680″ title=”ransomware attack.“] The district reported three separate ransomware incidents over the past two months that, all told, [link url=”http://www.kens5.com/news/local/ransomware-attacks-20-northeast-isd-schools/125053680″ title=”affected 20 campuses and two departments“] within the school district.

[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/ransomware-becoming-a-growing-threat/”]

1. A former scientist at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission [link url=”https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/former-energy-department-worker-sentenced-in-email-spear-phishing-attempt/2016/04/11/92e32e06-0004-11e6-b823-707c79ce3504_story.html” title=”was sentenced to 18 months in prison“] for plotting a cyber attack on federal government computers. Charles Harvey Eccleston allegedly targeted more than 80 Energy Department employees in Washington [link url=”https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/former-energy-department-worker-sentenced-in-email-spear-phishing-attempt/2016/04/11/92e32e06-0004-11e6-b823-707c79ce3504_story.html” title=”with malicious emails“] in an attempt to infect the Energy Department computer network.

[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/u-s-government-sees-rise-in-cyber-attacks/” url2=”https://amuedge.com/dod-plan-outlines-cybersecurity-guidance/” url3=”https://amuedge.com/education/cyber-security-the-true-greatest-threat-to-our-future/”]

1. Flint, MI officials said yesterday that they will begin [link url=”http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/flint-water-crisis/2016/04/11/leaky-fire-hydrants-flint-water-crisis/82888146/” title=”flushing water automatically out of fire hydrants“] in the city as part of the process of fixing the city’s lead-contaminated drinking water problem. Flint officials will be collaborating with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the flushing process to [link url=”http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/flint-water-crisis/2016/04/11/leaky-fire-hydrants-flint-water-crisis/82888146/” title=”assess and optimize“] chemical levels in the water. The program is expected to continue through the summer.
2. In response to the record-breaking snowfall that occurred in Pennsylvania this past winter, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) [link url=”https://amuedge.com/pennsylvania-turnpike-commission-releases-review-of-snowstorm-response/” title=”released an updated After-Action Review (AAR)“] last week. The AAR put together by the PTC, along with reviewing current practices, offered up new [link url=”https://amuedge.com/pennsylvania-turnpike-commission-releases-review-of-snowstorm-response/” title=”recommendations for improvement.“]