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Hackers suspected to be behind unauthorized alert sent to cell phones across Brazil
CNN • • world
Key Points:
- An unauthorized emergency alert displaying the word “misantropi4” was sent to cell phones in multiple Brazilian states, suspected to be a hacker attack targeting the National Civil Defense’s warning platform.
- The alert, classified as “extreme,” was first received in Paraná and later in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, prompting authorities to take the emergency text system offline for security reasons.
- Brazilian officials confirmed that the false alert was not issued by any civil defense agency and that the Cellbroadcast tool used for such alerts has been temporarily disabled while investigations are ongoing.
- Residents in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro also reported receiving the message via SMS, but no actual emergencies or natural disasters justified the alert.
- Authorities from various states and the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) are collaborating to investigate the origin of the message and restore the alert system securely.
