The Brazilian National Secretariat for Civil Protection and Defense (SEDEC) and Federal Police (PF) are investigating a suspected hack of the country’s emergency alert system after an unauthorized “extreme” alert pinged devices across the country.
Defesa Civil Nacional confirmed that its dispatch platform, often used to inform the public about severe weather events, was taken offline in the early hours of Saturday, June 20, after Brazilians reported the alert, which read: “Alerta extremo – Defesa Civil:misantropi4.”
“Misantropia” is Portuguese for misanthropy, hatred of humankind.
Read more…
Source: The Register
Sign up for the Cyber Security Review Newsletter
The latest cyber security news and insights delivered right to your inbox
Related:
- Chicago firm that resolves ransomware attacks had rogue workers carrying out their own hacks
November 2, 2025
Rogue employees of a Chicago company that specializes in negotiating ransoms to mitigate cyber attacks were carrying out their own piracy in a plot to extort millions of dollars from a series of companies, prosecutors say. Kevin Tyler Martin, a ransomware threat negotiator for River North-based DigitalMint at the time of the alleged conspiracy, was among ...
- Canadian government claims hacktivists are attacking water and energy facilities
October 31, 2025
The Canadian government has issued a new security alert warning of so-called hacktivists targeting Industrial Control Systems (ICS). The report says the Cyber Centre and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police has received “multiple reports” of incidents involving internet-accessible ICS. Among the reports were an attack on a water facility, in which the miscreants tampered with water ...
- Government hackers breached telecom giant Ribbon for months before getting caught
October 31, 2025
U.S. telecommunications giant Ribbon has confirmed that government-backed hackers had access to its network for almost a year before getting caught, according to a public filing. The telco giant said in a 10-Q disclosure last week with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that a suspected “nation-state actor had gained access to the company’s IT network” ...
- Ransomware gang claims Conduent breach: what you should watch for next [updated]
October 30, 2025
Updated – October 30, 2025: New information confirms that Conduent’s 2024 breach has impacted over 10.5 million people, based on notifications filed with multiple state attorneys general. The largest disclosure came from the Oregon government, which reported 10.5 million affected residents. Conduent provides technology services to several US state governments, including Medicaid, child support, and food ...
- The end of ransomware? Report claims the number of firms paying up is plummeting
October 28, 2025
The number of companies paying ransomware attackers for decryption keys and delete stolen files has plummeted, and now represents just 23% of all victims, new research has claims. In its report, Coveware said ransom payment rates across all impact scenarios – encryption, data exfiltration, and other extortion – fell to a “historical low” of 23% in ...
- Marks and Spencer drops Tata Consultancy Services IT service desk contract
October 28, 2025
Marks and Spencer (M&S) confirmed it has dropped its IT Service Desk partnership with Indian IT firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). The contract has been ended after TCS was investigated over speculation that it may be the source of the devastating cyberattack which halted systems in store and online – although the source is not yet ...