Exelon's Byron nuclear generating station Unit 2 goes offline for refueling

Byron Station’s Unit 2 reactor is offline after 516 consecutive days of providing around-the-clock, carbon-free power.

The reliable generation from the unit kept air conditioners humming over the summer and helped keep houses warm during the worst of the polar vortex last winter.

Operators at Byron Generating Station took Unit 2 offline this morning for scheduled refueling and maintenance activities after an 18-month non-stop run of providing power to Northern Illinois and beyond.

The precision work completed over the coming weeks will help ensure another long uninterrupted run for Unit 2.

More than 1,500 additional workers will join the 850 permanent Byron Station employees, providing a temporary boost to the local economy. Most local motels, restaurants and shops from Rockford to Rochelle see an increase in customers during Byron Station refueling outages.

"The nuclear plant's two refueling outages this year are a boon to many of our businesses in the area," said Deanna Mershon, executive director of the Byron Area Chamber of Commerce. "We are glad for the work that takes place - not only because of increased foot traffic at local businesses, but also because of the continued reliability in regards to power generation for the area."

Workers at Byron Station will perform more than 10,000 inspections and maintenance activities and do other work that cannot be done while the unit is operating. This includes replacing about one-third of the unit's fuel. All of the activities are designed to assure the unit's consistent operation when online.

Read more by clicking on the following:  http://nuclear.energy-business-review.com/news/exelons-byron-nuclear-generating-station-unit-2-goes-offline-for-refueling-011014-4390977

Advanced iOS virus targeting Hong Kong protesters: security firm

 

BOSTON (Reuters) - Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a computer virus that spies on Apple Inc's iOS operating system for the iPhone and iPad, and they believe it is targeting pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

The malicious software, known as Xsser, is capable of stealing text messages, photos, call logs, passwords and other data from Apple mobile devices, researchers with Lacoon Mobile Security said on Tuesday.

They uncovered the spyware while investigating similar malware for Google Inc's Android operating system last week that also targeted Hong Kong protesters. Anonymous attackers spread the Android spyware via WhatsApp, sending malicious links to download the program, according to Lacoon.

It is unclear how iOS devices get infected with Xsser, which is not disguised as an app.

Lacoon Chief Executive Michael Shaulov told Reuters that Xsser is the most sophisticated malware used to date in any known cyberattack on iOS users.

"This is one the most interesting developments we have seen," he said. "It’s the first real indication that really sophisticated guys are shifting from infecting PCs or laptops to going after iOS devices."

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Hong Kong and Taiwanese demonstrators gather to support pro-democracy protests taking place in Hong  …

The code used to control that server is written in Chinese. The high quality of the campaign and the fact it is being used to target protesters suggests that it is coming from a sophisticated attacker in China, Shaulov said.

"It is the first time in history that you actually see an operationalized iOS Trojan that is attributed to some kind of Chinese entity," he said.

A Trojan is a term used by cyber researchers to describe malware that enters a device disguised as something harmless.

Still, he said that his company's research team has yet to identify any specific victims of the iOS Trojan.

Lacoon said on its blog that it is possible the attackers might have deployed the Trojan in other places, in addition to spying on pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.

"It can cross borders easily, and is possibly being operated by a Chinese-speaking entity to spy on individuals, foreign companies, or even entire governments," they said in a blog post describing their analysis.

Read more:  http://news.yahoo.com/advanced-ios-virus-targeting-hong-kong-protesters-security-210741365.html