Brazil suspects cyberattack for false emergency alerts

Brazil's Civil Defense agency on Saturday said that a suspected cyberattack triggered a series of false warnings across the country overnight after which they temporarily suspended the mobile emergency alert system. The alerts, which were sent during the night between Friday and Saturday, caused widespread confusion and prompted complaints from residents who said they were awakened by the loud emergency notifications. The system is normally reserved for major disasters and public safety emergencies. In a statement, the agency said the suspicious message was issued as an "Extreme Alert" and included the word "misanthropy," a term referring to hatred of humanity. Authorities believe the notification may have been the result of a hacker intrusion, reported AFP. According to the civil defense, the false alerts were transmitted to multiple regions of Brazil after being activated remotely by an individual outside the National System of Protection and Civil Defense. The agency said it has requested assistance from the Federal Police to investigate the incident. It added that the alert network will remain offline until additional security measures are implemented and the system can be safely restored.