Article: Critical Infrastructure. Researchers Release New Exploits to Hijack Critical Infrastructure

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/04/exploit-for-quantum-plc/

By Kim Zetter 

 

• April 5, 2012
•  

• Categories: Cybersecurity, Stuxnet

The Modicon Quantum programmable logic controller, which is used in critical infrastructure systems, contains common security vulnerabilities that would allow attackers to upload rogue commands to it. Photo: Reid Wightman/Digital Bond

Researchers have released two new exploits that attack common design vulnerabilities in a computer component used to control critical infrastructure, such as refineries and factories.

The exploits would allow someone to hack the system in a manner similar to how the Stuxnet worm attacked nuclear centrifuges in Iran, a hack that stunned the security world with its sophistication and ability to use digital code to create damage in the physical world.

The exploits attack the Modicon Quantum programmable logic controller made by Schneider-Electric, which is a key component used to control functions in critical infrastructures around the world, including manufacturing facilities, water and wastewater management plants, oil and gas refineries and pipelines, and chemical production plants. The Schneider PLC is an expensive system that costs about $10,000.

One of the exploits allows an attacker to simply send a “stop” command to the PLC.

The other exploit replaces the ladder logic in a Modicon Quantum PLC so that an attacker can take control of the PLC.

The module first downloads the current ladder logic on the PLC so that the attacker can understand what the PLC is doing. It then uploads a substitute ladder logic to the PLC, which automatically overwrites the ladder logic on the PLC. The module in this case only overwrites the legitimate ladder logic with blank ladder logic, to provide a proof of concept demonstration of how an attacker could easily replace the legitimate ladder logic with malicious commands without actually sabotaging the device.

The exploits take advantage of the fact that the Modicon Quantum PLC doesn’t require a computer that is communicating with it to authenticate itself or any commands it sends to the PLC – essentially trusting any computer that can talk to the PLC. Without such protection, an unauthorized party with network access can send the device malicious commands to seize control of it, or simply send a “stop” command to halt the system from operating.

The attack code was created by Reid Wightman, an ICS security researcher with Digital Bond, a computer security consultancy that specializes in the security of industrial control systems. The company said it released the exploits to demonstrate to owners and operators of critical infrastructures that “they need to demand secure PLC’s from vendors and develop a near-term plan to upgrade or replace their PLCs.”

The exploits were released as modules in Metasploit, a penetration testing tool owned by Rapid 7 that is used by computer security professionals to quickly and easily test their networks for specific security holes that could make them vulnerable to attack.

The exploits were designed to demonstrate the “ease of compromise and potential catastrophic impact” of vulnerabilities and make it possible for owners and operators of critical infrastructure to “see and know beyond any doubt the fragility and insecurity of these devices,” said Digital Bond CEO Dale Peterson in a statement.

But Metasploit is also used by hackers to quickly find and gain access to vulnerable systems. Peterson has defended his company’s release of exploits in the past as a means of pressuring companies like Schneider into fixing serious design flaws and vulnerabilities they’ve long known about and neglected to address.

Peterson and other security researchers have been warning for years that industrial control systems contain security issues that make them vulnerable to hacking. But it wasn’t until the Stuxnet worm hit Iran’s nuclear facilities in 2010 that industrial control systems got widespread attention. The makers of PLCs, however, have still taken few steps to secure their systems.

“[M]ore than 500 days after Stuxnet the Siemens S7 has not been fixed, and Schneider and many other ICS vendors have ignored the issues as well,” Peterson said.

Stuxnet, which attacked a PLC model made by Siemens in order to sabotage centrifuges used in Iran’s uranium enrichment program, exploited the fact that the Siemens PLC, like the Schneider PLC, does not require any authentication to upload rogue ladder logic to it, making it easy for the attackers to inject their malicious code into the system.

Peterson launched a research project last year dubbed Project Basecamp, to uncover security vulnerabilities in widely used PLCs made by multiple manufacturers.

In January, the team disclosed several vulnerabilities they found in the Modicon Quantum system, including the lack of authentication and the presence of about 12 backdoor accounts that were hard coded into the system and that have read/write capability. The system also has a web server password that is stored in plaintext and is retrievable via an FTP backdoor.

At the time of their January announcement, the group released exploit modules that attacked vulnerabilities in some of the other products, and have gradually been releasing exploits for other products since then.

STEM Initiative: Plan Now! Summer Engineering Program. Johns Hopkins University

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Eligibility Requirements

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• Residential students must be 15 as of June 30, 2012

Expand Your Possibilities

• Curriculum developed by Johns Hopkins University
• Nearly 90% of Engineering Innovation graduates have gone on to study engineering or science in college
• 10:1 student/teacher ratio
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• Students with a final grade of A or B receive three transferable Johns Hopkins University credits
• Certificates of Completion are awarded to all students who successfully complete the course
• A residential option is available at the Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus site
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Baltimore, Maryland Police News Service

The Baltimore County Police Department announced this week that it is now providing a weekly online news resource, including a crime blotter, for each of its 10 precincts.

The precinct officers supply content for the pages, including a summary of crimes listed on their weekly significant crimes reports.

The precinct web pages will not be used to provide breaking news alerts, but each page includes precinct-level contact information.

Precinct 1/Wilkens http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/precinct1

Precinct 2/Woodlawn - http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/precinct2

Precinct 3/Franklin - http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/precinct3

Precinct 4/Pikesville - http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/precinct4

Precinct 6/Towson - http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/precinct6

Precinct 7/Cockeysville - http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/precinct7

Precinct 8/Parkville - http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/precinct8

Precinct 9/White Marsh - http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/precinct9

Precinct 11/Essex - http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/precinct11

Precinct 12/North Point - http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/precinct12

Department officials said that communities accustomed to receiving local crime information from precinct captains through email distribution lists will continue to receive communication from those officers.

Elise Armacost, director of media and communications for Baltimore County Public Safety, said the new pages were not a direct response to the brief controversy surrounding the weekly emailed crime reports that have been sent to residents from the Towson precinct for several years.

"The issue of precinct-level news is something we've been looking at for months because we know people want this information," Armacost said.

"The goal is not to make every precinct a carbon copy of the other," she said. "Each precinct is different, each captain is different and they will be providing the content. ... There's going to be variation in pages. … But at minimum, we want to provide weekly crime blotter information to every precinct.

"As it is, some of our residents are getting that. In Towson they were, but there are residents of other precincts that were not getting it," Armacost said. "By making this information available on our website, we're making it available to many, many more people than it has been."

The pages also include a "news you can use" section about upcoming police events, crime prevention tips, police fund raisers, planned road closures and accomplishments by local precinct officers.

Officials said that posting community police news at http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/police is an attempt to make information available to all citizens.

The Fire Department Twitter feed is http://www.twitter.com/BACOfiredept and the Emergency Management feed is http://www.twitter.com/BACOemergency.

Robocalls: To file a complaint.

FTC Consumer Alert

Robocalls are Illegal: Scammers Use False Caller IDs to Hide

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, along with state and local law enforcement agencies, and consumer organizations across the country, are getting complaints from consumers about unsolicited robocalls. At the same time, individuals and businesses that have nothing to do with blasting the illegal robocalls are being blamed for these calls because their phone numbers are being misused by unscrupulous telemarketers.

Robocalls are prerecorded telephone calls. Robocalls pitching goods or services are illegal unless you've given the caller express permission to call you. And, says the FTC, in addition to the phone calls being illegal, most likely, their pitch is a scam. In fact, the FTC is cracking down on illegal robocalls offering fraudulent credit card services, and so-called auto warranty protection, home security systems, and grant procurement programs.

Fraudulent telemarketers often manipulate Caller ID information to hide their identity. In some cases, the fraudulent telemarketer may want you to think the call is from your bank, or another entity you've done business with. Sometimes, the telephone number may show up as "unknown" or "123456789." Other times, the number is a real one belonging to someone who has no idea his or her number is being misused.

If you have Caller ID, you can choose not to answer calls from numbers you don't recognize. Should you answer the phone and find yourself listening to an illegal robocall, hang up. Get the Caller ID information if you can, and file a complaint immediately with:

• Federal Trade Commission
• Your state Attorney General

For more information, see New Rules for Robocalls.


The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint or get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. Watch a video, How to File a Complaint, at ftc.gov/video to learn more. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

February 2012

FTC....Robocalls Illegal

FTC Action Puts Robocallers Out of the Telemarketing Business

Defendants Allegedly Responsible for Billions of Calls; Will Give Up Assets Totaling Roughly $3 Million

The Federal Trade Commission put a robocall operation out of the telemarketing business under a settlement resolving FTC charges that it bombarded consumers with more than two billion calls pitching a variety of products and services, including worthless extended auto warranties and credit card interest rate-reduction programs.

The final settlement order against SBN Peripherals, based near Los Angeles, which did business as Asia Pacific Telecom Inc., is part of the FTC's ongoing crackdown on deceptive robocallers. The order bans the defendants from telemarketing and requires them to give up roughly $3 million in assets.

The FTC's complaint alleged that the defendants delivered illegal prerecorded phone calls falsely claiming the caller had urgent information about the consumer's auto warranty or credit card interest rate. Consumers who pressed "1" for more information were transferred to telemarketers who used fraudulent practices to sell inferior extended auto service contracts or worthless debt-reduction services. According to court papers filed by the court-appointed receiver, from January 2008 through August 2009, the defendants completed approximately 2.6 billion outbound robocalls that were answered by approximately 1.6 billion consumers, approximately 12.8 million of whom were connected to a sales agent.

As alleged in the complaint, the defendants violated the law by using robocalls to contact consumers without their written permission and called telephones listed on the National Do Not Call Registry. To make it difficult for consumers to identify the seller, the FTC also alleged that the defendants' robocalls often transmitted caller ID information vaguely identifying the caller as "SALES DEPT" and displaying telephone numbers registered to an offshore company it controlled called Asia Pacific Telecom.

Under the proposed settlement order, Repo B.V.; SBN Peripherals Inc., doing business as SBN Dials; Johan Hendrik Smit Duyzentkunst; and Janneke Bakker-Smit Duyzentkunst are banned from telemarketing. The order also prohibits them from misrepresenting any good or service, and from selling or otherwise benefitting from customers' personal information, and requires them to properly dispose of customers' personal information within 30 days. The order imposes a $5.3 million judgment that will be suspended, based on their inability to pay, when they have surrendered assets valued at approximately $3 million, including more than $1 million obtained from a bank account in Hong Kong, a $375,000 lien on a home, a 50 percent interest in an office building in Saipan, the defendants' interest in seven parcels of undeveloped land, as well as three cars and a recreational vehicle. The full judgment will become due immediately if the defendants are found to have misrepresented their financial condition.

The Commission vote approving the proposed consent order was 4-0. It is subject to court approval. The FTC filed the proposed consent order in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division.

To hear telemarketing sales pitches used in this case, clickAuto Warranty audio 1, Auto Warranty audio 2, Credit Card audio 1, and Credit Card audio 2.

To learn more about telemarketing scams, read Who's Calling? Recognize and Report Phone Fraud, You Make the Call: The FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule, and the FTC's new consumer alert, Robocalls are Illegal: Scammers Use False Caller IDs to Hide. The FTC also offers How to Steer Clear of Auto Warranty Scams and Credit Card Interest Rate Reduction Scams. To inform business owners, the FTC offers Reining in Robocalls and Complying with the Telemarketing Sales Rule.

NOTE: This consent order is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the defendants that the law has been violated. Consent orders have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC's online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC's website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Frank Dorman
Office of Public Affairs
202-326-2674

STAFF CONTACT:

Steven M. Wernikoff
FTC's Midwest Region
312-960-5634

Joint Base provides guidance, support to FEMA response team

Photos 1 of 5 Members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency board a 305th Air Mobility Wing C-17 Globemaster III during a mobility exercise March 20, 2012, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. Approximately 30 incident management assistance team members from FEMA Region II, based in New York, N.Y., and FEMA Region III, from Philadelphia, Pa., simulated a hurricane response deployment to Puerto Rico with the help of the 621st Contingency Response Wing and the 305th Air Mobility Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres) Download HiRes http://www.jointbasemdl.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123294970 by Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres 621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs 3/22/2012 - JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Airmen from three wings across Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst came together March 20 through 23 to assist the Federal Emergency Management Agency with an Operational Readiness Exercise here. Approximately 30 incident management assistance team members from FEMA Region II, based in New York, N.Y., and FEMA Region III, from Philadelphia, Pa., converged on the 621st Contingency Response Wing's Global Reach Deployment Center for a simulated hurricane response deployment to Puerto Rico. This exercise was observed for training by members of FEMA's National IMAT based in Herndon, Va., and by members of New York City's Urban Search and Rescue Team. "We hope to gain familiarity with DOD procedures in the event we use military airlift to respond to a disaster," said Mike Sharon, FEMA Region III IMAT leader. "For example, the security and specialized loading requirements are completely different than if we were to show up at Philadelphia International Airport." "If FEMA needs to use military airlift in the future, we would most likely be flying out of (JB MDL), so learning the layout of the base now will save valuable time in a real-world emergency," Sharon added. IMATs are FEMA's rapidly deployable emergency response teams. These full-time, rapid-response cells have a dedicated staff able to deploy within two hours and arrive at an incident within 12 hours to support a local incident commander. They support the initial establishment of a unified command and provide situational awareness for federal and state decision-makers, crucial to determining the level and type of immediate federal support that may be required. The seeds for this interagency training and mobility partnership exercise began back in 2010, explains Master Sgt. Steve Dirksen, 621st CRW affiliation lead and wing plans superintendent. "The 621st CRW has been teaching load planning, pallet buildup, weighing and cargo marking to FEMA and other federal partners since 2010," said Dirksen. "Recently, they called us and asked if they could come out and put their military airlift plans into action. We agreed, and felt it was a great opportunity to strengthen our training partnership." Soon, a plan came together that would test the mobility processes of FEMA and call upon an increasing number of Joint Base resources. Just as it would in a real-world deployment, the 87th Air Base Wing Deployment Control Center stood up; they became the base focal point responsible for coordinating the flow of information, passengers and cargo between FEMA, the CRW and the 305th Air Mobility Wing. "A lack of user expertise and cargo preparation knowledge often delays the joint inspection process, potentially leading to late aircraft departures," said Karen Lamphere, 87th Logistics Readiness Squadron installation deployment officer. "Working closely with our federal partners during exercises like this is essential to preventing delays during an actual mobilization." Airmen from the CRW were tasked to provide cargo preparation and joint inspection expertise and a sheltered working area for FEMA to set up a mobile command center and test its equipment, explains Tech. Sgt. David Lund, 621st CRW wing plans NCO in charge. Two IMAT response vehicles full of equipment were then processed for air shipment by members of the 305th Aerial Port Squadron and loaded onto a 305th AMW C-17 Globemaster III to provide familiarity with military cargo procedures to the FEMA observers. Finally, all exercise participants boarded the cargo-loaded C-17 and were provided a safety and familiarization briefing. The entire process was helpful and informative, said Michael Anama, FEMA Region II equipment manager. "We are finding and fixing a number of kinks in the process, but have had no real surprises," said Anama. "By the end of this week, I'm sure we will have a lot more information we can use to streamline our internal procedures and work more efficiently with the DOD airlift system on future deployments." For the FEMA IMAT leadership, seeing it all come together was a rewarding and eye-opening experience. "It's been a great partnership and we enjoyed the opportunity for our civilian personnel to go through the mobility process and experience what the conditions will be like in the back of an aircraft," said Sharon. "This is the kind of real world, hands-on training we can't get in a regional office. It's just great to be out here and experience everything from start to finish."

Health IT Teaching Curriculum components Available at No Cost

Enhanced Health IT teaching materials now available to the public

ONC is pleased to announce that an enhanced set of 20 curriculum components is now available to the public at no cost, including all institutions of higher education nationwide and internationally. Funded by the $10M ONC Curriculum Development Centers program, these teaching materials have been in use since 2010 with great success by the 82 member colleges of the ONC Community College Consortia program. Based on the enthusiastic response when first released publicly in June 2011, these materials clearly fill an urgent need in the educational marketplace.

Tell me more about the materials.

Designed around the six mobile workforce roles identified by ONC, the components form the building blocks of health IT courses at community colleges and universities. Each component is made up of several units that can be modified and combined to meet the needs of instructors as they design their courses. The components include slide-based lectures with professional audio narration and transcripts, learning activities, self-assessment questions with answer keys, and instructor manuals.

The components cover topics such as workflow process redesign, technical support, networking, usability, and project management, among others. Three of the components offer a hands-on lab experience for students supported by the VistA for Education EHR software package, also available at no cost.

What has changed since the previous version?

This new version contains many improvements over the previous version in both content and formatting. Of particular note, accessibility for people with disabilities has been increased substantially. Content across the components has been streamlined. And new information has been added in the areas of meaningful use as well as privacy and security.

How do I access the materials?

To obtain the materials, go to http://www.onc-ntdc.org or http://www.onc-ntdc.info to set up a profile and download the components.

Visit the ONC website to learn more about the Curriculum Development Centers program and other ONC health IT workforce development programs.

How long will the materials remain available?

The materials will continue to be made available through this program until the end of the calendar year but earlier versions will no longer be supported. Planning is underway for self-sustainability of the materials in 2013 and beyond.

Totaling over 9 gigabytes of information across more than 200 units, these innovative teaching materials offer a robust set of tools for health IT instructors.

For questions relating to the Curriculum Development Centers Program, email HITCurriculum@hhs.gov. 

Diversity: HHS announces new members of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee

Diversity..........

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/03/20120329a.html FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 29, 2012

Contact: HHS Press Office (202) 690-6343

HHS announces new members of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that she has invited 15 individuals to serve as public members on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC).
The IACC is a federal advisory committee established by the Combating Autism Act of 2006 and reauthorized by the Combating Autism Reauthorization Act of 2011.  The committee is composed of both federal officials and public members, and is charged with (1) coordinating all efforts within HHS concerning autism spectrum disorder (ASD), (2) developing and annually updating a strategic plan for ASD, and (3) providing advice to the Secretary on matters related to ASD.

Membership of the committee includes a wide array of federal agencies involved in ASD research and services, as well as public stakeholders who represent a variety of perspectives from within the autism community.  This makeup of the IACC membership is designed to ensure that the committee is equipped to address the wide range of issues and challenges faced by families and individuals affected by autism.

“The individuals invited to serve on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee represent people on the autism spectrum, autism advocates, parents, clinicians, and researchers from across the country,” Secretary Sebelius said. “I look forward to working with the committee members to make a real difference in the lives of people with autism and their families.”

The individuals invited to serve on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, subject to prescribed appointment procedures, include:

Idil Abdull
Ms. Idil Abdull is the parent of a son with autism and Co-Founder of the Somali American Autism Foundation. As a Somali-American mother, she has worked to raise awareness about the high prevalence of autism among Somali immigrants living in Minnesota and has helped to change autism policies in the state. She also has a special interest in serving as a voice for underrepresented groups more broadly, including those that are struggling with language, cultural, and economic barriers as they seek ways to help their family members with disabilities. Ms. Abdull holds a bachelor’s degree in Health Care Administration.

James Ball
Dr. Jim Ball is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) who is the President and CEO of JB Autism Consulting. He has worked in the private sector field of autism for more than 25 years, providing educational, employment, and residential services to children and adults affected with autism. He is a Board member of the Autism Society's (AS) Board of Directors and is currently the Chair of the National Board. He received his doctorate of education from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Anshu Batra
Dr. Anshu Batra is a developmental pediatrician specializing in autism and early childhood developmental disorders and is the mother of two sons with autism spectrum disorder. She currently works in a private practice that provides medical services to more than 600 patients with developmental disabilities, the majority of whom have an autism diagnosis. The practice is unique not only in terms of the racial, ethnic, and socio-economic diversity of its patients, but also in its scope. Dr. Batra has become an outspoken advocate to educate both the professional and lay communities about autism and considers how to best integrate a growing subpopulation of individuals on the spectrum into society. She received her M.D. from the University of Michigan and trained in Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Noah Britton
Mr. Britton was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome a decade ago as a freshman in college and has spent every year since working directly with people on the spectrum. He is an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Bunker Hill Community College and has presented on autism as a guest lecturer at the University of Virginia and Tufts University. Prior to that Mr. Britton worked directly with teenagers on the spectrum as head counselor for the Northeast ARC’s Spotlight program and as a drama teacher at the New England Academy in Massachusetts. Mr. Britton currently serves on the scientific/educational advisory board of the Autism Higher Education Foundation. He received his master’s degree in psychology from Hunter College in 2010.  

Sally Burton-Hoyle
Dr. Sally Burton-Hoyle, sister to a person on the autism spectrum, has focused her life and career on improving the education of people with autism and other challenging behaviors. She serves as area coordinator of the Masters of Autism Spectrum Disorders program at Eastern Michigan University (EMU). This program is based on Positive Behavioral Supports and family/community involvement. Dr. Burton-Hoyle has been at EMU since 2006 and was Executive Director of the Autism Society of Michigan prior to EMU. In addition, she has classroom experience as a special education teacher. Dr. Burton-Hoyle holds a doctorate in education from the University of Idaho and a master’s degree in special education from the University of Kansas.

Matthew Carey
Dr. Matthew Carey is the father of a young child with multiple disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder, and is a frequent contributor to the Left Brain/Right Brain blog and the Autism Science Foundation Blog. His writing focuses on reviewing current autism research in an understandable way for the public and he is deeply committed to communicating the importance of getting the science right for autism. He is also interested in analyzing trends in health and education public datasets.  Dr. Carey is an active industrial researcher in computer hardware whose current research interests include magnetic thin films, spintronics, and magnetic nanostructures. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of California, San Diego, and his M.S. in Physics from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Dennis Choi
Dr. Dennis Choi is the Executive Vice President of the Simons Foundation, the second largest funder of autism research, and he was previously a member of the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board. His past positions have included Vice President of Academic Health Affairs at Emory University, Executive Vice President of Neuroscience at Merck Research Labs, and professor and head of Neurology at Washington University Medical School. His research experience has included work on the physiological mechanism of action of benzodiazepine drugs and the processes responsible for nerve cell death after ischemic or traumatic insults. His research on mechanisms of brain and spinal cord injury has been recognized with several awards. Dr. Choi received his M.D. from the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology Program, as well as a Ph.D. in pharmacology and neurology residency/fellowship training from Harvard University, before joining the faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine from 1983-1991.

Jose Cordero
Dr. Corderois the Dean of the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Puerto Rico. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Cordero was an Assistant Surgeon General of the Public Health Service and the Founding Director of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. He served in this capacity since the establishment of the center on April 16, 2001. Dr. Cordero worked for 27 years at the CDC and has extensive public health experience in the fields of birth defects, developmental disabilities, and child health.  He obtained his medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico in 1973, completing residency training in pediatrics at Boston City Hospital and a fellowship in medical genetics at the Massachusetts General Hospital. In 1979, Dr. Cordero obtained a Masters in Public Health from Harvard University.

Jan Crandy
Ms. Jan Crandy is a case manager for the Nevada State Autism Treatment Assistance Program (ATAP) and has been a leader in raising awareness and treating autism spectrum disorders in Nevada for more than 15 years. She is a dedicated advocate and parent of a child with autism. In her current position at ATAP, Ms. Crandy manages and develops programs for more than 65 children with ASD. In 2007, Ms. Crandy was appointed to the Nevada Autism Task Force by Governor Jim Gibbons. In that role, Ms. Crandy helped develop policy recommendations for state policymakers on ways to improve the delivery and coordination of autism services in Nevada. She also serves as Chair of the Nevada Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders. Ms. Crandy began her career in advocacy in 1996 when her daughter was diagnosed with autism. With the support of family and friends, Ms. Crandy started a nonprofit organization called Families for Early Autism Treatment (FEAT) to help parents of children with ASD in Southern Nevada.

Geraldine Dawson
Dr. Dawson is the Chief Science Officer for Autism Speaks, where she works with the scientific community and other stakeholders to shape and expand the organization's scientific vision. In addition to her work with Autism Speaks, Dr. Dawson holds the positions of Research Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University, and Professor Emeritus of Psychology at University of Washington. Dr. Dawson is a licensed clinical psychologist who has published extensively on autism spectrum disorders, focusing on early detection and intervention and early patterns of brain dysfunction. In collaboration with Dr. Sally Rogers, Dawson helped to develop and empirically-validated the Early Start Denver Model, the first comprehensive early intervention program for toddlers with autism. She has collaborated on numerous studies of brain development and function and genetic risk factors in autism. From 1996-2008, Dr. Dawson was Founding Director of the University of Washington Autism Center where she directed three NIH Autism Center of Excellence Award programs of research focusing on genetics, neuroimaging, early diagnosis, and clinical trials. Dr. Dawson has served as a public member on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee since 2010 and has been invited to continue her service.  Dr. Dawson received her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology with a minor in Child Clinical Psychology from the University of Washington.

David Mandell
Dr. David Mandell is a health services researcher and psychiatric epidemiologist who seeks to identify the best ways to organize, finance and deliver services to children with psychiatric and developmental disabilities. He is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine. The goal of his current research is to improve care for children with autism and their families by developing successful interventions at the individual, provider and system levels to decrease the age at which children with autism are recognized and enter treatment, and to improve the services and supports available to them and their families.  Dr. Mandell holds a bachelor of arts in psychology from Columbia University and a doctorate of science from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health.

Lyn Redwood
Ms. Lyn Redwood is Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Coalition for SafeMinds and Co-Founder of the National Autism Association (NAA). She became interested in autism research and advocacy when her son was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Ms. Redwood served on the Department of Defense Autism Spectrum Disorder Research Program from 2007-2009 and was acknowledged for a decade of service by Spectrum Magazine as their Person of the Year in 2009. Ms. Redwood has served as a public member on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee since 2007 and has been invited to continue her service.  Ms. Redwood holds a Master’s of Science in Nursing from University of Alabama and is a registered nurse in the state of Georgia.

Scott Michael Robertson
Mr. Scott Michael Robertson co-founded the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) in 2006 and currently serves as ASAN’s Vice Chair of Development. Mr. Robertson, an adult on the autism spectrum, is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in information sciences and technology at Penn State University’s University Park campus. His research pursuits in the fields of disability studies, human-computer interaction, and computer supported work/learning focus on understanding and improving the lives of people with neurological and developmental disabilities. Beyond his research, Mr. Robertson has actively served the cross-disability and autism communities as a mentor, teacher, advocate, public speaker, and writer. Mr. Robertson holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master’s degree in human-computer interaction from Carnegie Mellon University.

John Elder Robison
John Elder Robison is an adult on the autism spectrum who grew up in the 1960s before the Asperger diagnosis came into common use. At age sixteen, Mr. Robison left high school to join his first band as a sound engineer. Within a few years he was building equipment for Pink Floyd's sound company, touring the hockey rinks of Canada with April Wine, and creating the signature special effects guitars for the rock band, KISS. John went on to design sound effects and other circuits for some of the most popular electronic games and toys of the era before moving into more conventional engineering management. In the late 1980s, John left electronics for a new career - cars. His company, J E Robison Service, grew to be one of the largest independent restoration and service specialists for BMW, Bentley, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes, and Rolls Royce cars. Mr. Robison is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts; speaks publicly about his experience as a person on the autism spectrum; and is the author of popular books about living life with autism, Look Me in the Eye, My Life with Asperger's, and Be Different, Adventures of a Free-Range Aspergian.

Alison Singer
Ms. Alison Singer is Co-Founder and President of the Autism Science Foundation, a not-for-profit organization launched in April 2009 to support autism research. The Autism Science Foundation supports autism research by providing funding and other assistance to scientists and organizations conducting, facilitating, publicizing and disseminating autism research. Ms. Singer is the mother of a daughter with autism and legal guardian of her adult brother with autism. From 2005-2009 she served as Executive Vice President and a Member of the Board of Directors at Autism Speaks. Ms. Singer has served as a public member on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee since 2007 and has been invited to continue her service.  Ms. Singer graduated magna cum laude from Yale University with a B.A. in Economics and has an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Public announcement of the formal appointments of federal and public members to the IACC will follow in the coming weeks.

More information about the Interagency Autism Coordinating committee is available at: http://iacc.hhs.gov/.

When does the healing start? For the world.

The healing starts when we begin to discuss it with others openly.

Not just within the U.S., but the world.

Click here to view the video titled "Tim Wise White Privilage Racism America Part 1 of 6"

Health is the Answer

http://www.healthistheanswer.com/index.html  WELCOME
Health Is The Answer Is a community-based program to promote positive health practices, health attitudes and to increase healthy lifestyles. Health awareness of each individual and family is a complete state of physical, mental and social well being not merely the absence of disease and disorder. The goals of Health Is The Answer IS THE ANSWER is to encourage individuals to live a healthy lifestyle in order to add more years to life. Healthy is the answer through public services, forums and other support endeavors within the community will provide appropriate behavioral strategies to individual and communities.  Robin Willis, a new author has provided us with a Journal full of inspirations and a health record keeper for you and your family for empowerment. Click here to order from amazon.com Robin's mother Maria was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer in 1970. During her mothers' long illness, the Wellness Journal was being created, in thought. In 2009, Robin was diagnosed with thyroid cancer this further led the journey to begin writing the Wellness Journal. Robin needed a place to organize and document health information, medical exams, blood tests, and other vital health information. The Wellness Journal is an active Journal. It is an inspirational and motivational book that can serve as a tool to log health information. It is filled with statements of hopes, inspiration and empowering words. In this book, you'll find ways to better organize medical information; it will encourage documentation of physical exams, health screenings, provider's information and appointments. The Wellness Journal is a health record keeper and organizer for you and your family. Robin Willis a Washingtonian is a graduate of the District of Columbia Public Schools. She graduated from Miner Teacher's College in 1979 majoring in health education. In 1984, she received her Master's of Arts and Science in Counseling and Mental Health from The University of the District of Columbia. Robin has been for over twenty five years a counselor with the District of Columbia Mental Health system. In 1998, she created, "Health is the Answer", a health education and wellness program. This program greatly enriched and stabilized the lives of those with varying medical concerns. Robin continues to work as a Social Worker in the private sector in the District of Columbia. Presently, she actively in the Health Ministry of her local church, a member of the District of Columbia Board of Social Work and belongs to the Thyroid and Cancer Survivors Association. Upcoming Events Wellness Journal Book Signing March 20, 2012 Time: 6:30-8:00pm BusBoys and Poets 14th & Vst NW Washington, DC Walk For Multiple Sclerosis  April 14, 15, and 21, 2012 For more information click here