The Federal Communications Commission has said in a public notice that a “recent string of cyber intrusions” against U.S. radio broadcasters resulted in unauthorized broadcasts that included the Emergency Alert System (EAS) Attention Signal, simulated alert tones and obscene content.
The agency said attackers gained access to improperly secured transmission equipment and reconfigured it to inject attacker-controlled audio in place of normal programming. The FCC urged stations to change default passwords, restrict remote access, and apply software updates immediately.
The warning follows longstanding rules that bar misuse of EAS tones outside authorized alerts; the Commission reminded licensees that transmitting the Attention Signal or EAS codes without authorization violates 47 C.F.R. §11.45(a).
This FCC rule prohibits airing the Emergency Alert System (EAS) attention signal or EAS codes except during a real emergency, an authorized test, or a Commission-approved PSA. Misuse can trigger FCC enforcement and fines.
The notice did not name specific stations or vendors. Broadcasters were directed to review their security practices and report incidents to the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau.
