Attack Incident Response

Updated to reflect the numerous advances that have evolved since the September 11 terrorist attacks, Emergency Response Handbook for Chemical and Biological Agents and Weapons, Second Edition maintains its reputation as a comprehensive training manual for emergency responders to incidents involving nuclear, biological, and chemical materials. 

To be able to effectively respond to cyber attacks, establish an intrusion detection strategy that includes alerting network administrators of malicious network activity originating from internal or external sources. Intrusion detection system monitoring is essential twenty-four hours a day this capability can be easily set up through a pager. Additionally, incident response procedures must be in place to allow an... 

Rh incompatibility may occur when an Rh negative mother carries an Rh-positive fetus. At the time of delivery, a small amount of the baby s Rh-positive blood may gain access to the maternal circulation. In response, the immune system of the mother produces anti-Rh antibodies. During the subsequent pregnancy, the fetus is exposed to these antibodies as they cross the placenta. If this fetus is also Rh-positive, then the anti-Rh antibodies attack the fetal erythrocytes and cause hemolytic disease of the newborn (erythroblastosis fetalis). This may occur in about 3% of second Rh-positive babies and about 10% of third Rh-positive babies. The incidence continues to increase with subsequent pregnancies. 

If these methods do prove inconclusive, biomedical sample analysis may provide a unique method for establishing exposure. Due to both the complex technical requirements and the strict forensic approach used it is unlikely that this information will be available in the early phases of response to such an incident. Biomedical sample analysis does however offer another method by which proof of the use of chemical agents can be provided, and thus has a potentially significant role in the overall preparation of a capability for the response to a terrorist chemical agent attack. 

In October of 2001, the CDC put together a draft model law for the states, Model State Emergency Health Powers Act. The proposed model law would give state officials broad powers to close buildings, take over hospitals, and order quarantines during a biological attack. The various state legislatures would have to decide to adopt, or not adopt, the model law. A CDC conference considered a summary of public health powers necessary for adequate response to a bioterrorism incident that is reproduced below. 

The response to chemical and biological warfare weapons, terrorism attacks, and even influenza mini-epidemics can require an immense number of federal/state/ county/city/private workers and medical personnel ranging from physicians to registered nurses to emergency medical technicians and paramedics. As an example, the writer has actually seen an incident where thirty-one agencies from all levels of... 

The two known deadly attacks using either chemical or biological weapons are now discussed. In each of these incidents, less than 20 people were killed, but several hundred were injured in Japan. In both cases, the resulting fear and response led to much greater disruptions and costs than the attacks themselves. 

W. Cyber-security/Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system attack response (other than incident-specific, e.g., hacker)... 

The salicylates are also potent antipyretic agents, with the exception of diflunisal, which is only weakly active. Aspirin acts at two distinct but related sites. It decreases prostaglandin-induced fever in response to pyrogens and induces a decrease in interleukin-1 modulation of the hypothalamic control of body temperature. Thus, the hypothalamic control of body temperature returns, vasodilation occurs, heat dissipates, and fever decreases. Other uses of aspirin include inhibition of platelet aggregation via inhibition of thromboxanes, which has been shown to decrease the incidence of blood clots, myocardial infarction, and transient ischemic attacks. 

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is another anxiety disorder that can be characterized by attacks of anxiety or panic, but it is notably different from panic disorder or social phobia in that the initial anxiety or panic attack is in response to a real threat (being raped, for example) and subsequent attacks are usually linked to memories, thoughts, or flashbacks of the original trauma. The lifetime incidence of PTSD is about 1%. Patients have disturbed sleep and frequent sleep complaints. Comorbidities with other psychiatric disorders, especially depression and drug and alcohol abuse, are the rule rather than the exception. The DSM-IV diagnostic criteria are given in Table 9—11. 

Cells within the body synthesize interferon when experiencing stress from incidents such as viral attack. When interferon is released into the bloodstream by an infected cell, it helps signal an immune response to the invader. Other mechanisms that interferon activates in the fight against viral infections are less understood. It is hypothesized that in addition to signaling the immune system they somehow inhibit the ability of viruses and tumor cells to reproduce. Research to further the understanding of how interferon works is inhibited by the fact that, aside from humans, only a few other animals have cells that make interferon. Many studies of how drug molecules work are carried out first with animals, but for interferon, this type of study is less productive. 

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