FCC Reveals Hackers Hijack US Radio Devices To Spread False Warning And Unsatisfactory Speech

JAKARTA - The United States Federal Communications Authority (FCC) revealed that hackers managed to hijack radio transmission devices at various stations in the US to broadcast fake emergency messages to inappropriate languages. The announcement was made by the FCC on Wednesday, November 26, following a series of incidents that have occurred in recent days.

In its public notification, the FCC said there was a series of cyber intrusions against a number of radio broadcasters that led to the screening of Emergency Alert System (EAS)'s Attention Signal. These signals are usually used to attract attention before official announcements regarding emergencies such as tornadoes, storms, earthquakes, and other serious threats.

The FCC explained that the perpetrators allegedly exploited a device with weak security, especially a product made by Swiss audio network company Barix. Hackers are said to have successfully reconfigured the device in order to receive their controlled audio, replacing the station's official broadcast. As a result, the stations are affected by broadcasting audio streams containing false Attention Signal signals, artificial EAS tones, as well as vulgar language and other inappropriate content.

The incident comes after reports from Texas and Virginia called local radio hijacked to broadcast offensive material and hate speech. The FCC urges all radio broadcasters to strengthen basic security, from changing default passwords to regularly updating devices.

Barix has yet to comment on this latest incident. However, in a 2016 statement following a similar incident, the company confirmed that their device is safe to use for broadcasts if properly configured and protected with a strong password.

The hack raised concerns about the vulnerability of traditional broadcasting infrastructure amid the growing landscape of cyber threats, an increasingly pressing issue for the media industry and national security.