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Emergency Alert System Insecure

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the ahoooooga-ahooooooga dept.

glebe writes "The U.S. Emergency Alert System used to issue disaster warnings and other alerts over T.V. and radio is vulnerable to spoofing and denial-of-service attacks, SecurityFocus is reporting. Apparently, 'the EAS was built without basic authentication mechanisms, and is activated locally by unencrypted low-speed modem transmissions over public airwaves.' The FCC acknowledged the security issues yesterday in a public notice seeking comment on the future of the system."

6 of 210 comments (clear)

  1. Emergency Alert System by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP. Beep. Beep. Beep. ...... "this is a test of the emergency alert system." BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

  2. LINUX SHOW POWERED BY WINDOWS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    Linux show website powered by Windows

  3. Re:tornado sirens too? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    No, he didn't, and you didn't. FOAF stories are dull, this is Slashdot, don't repeat stories someone told you that someone else told them.

    SNOPES

  4. omg! i can change everyone's preferences! by 1_interest_1 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    i think there must have been a mistake, mr. taco.

    i seem to be able to modify everyone's preferences. it's right there, in the left hand corner!!!!!

  5. Like Bush would interupt television for anything.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    First off, the idiot can't pronounce nuclear - everyone would wonder why we are fighting a "new clear" war

    Second, the idiot sat there like a deer in headlights when the country was under attack.

    Third, if the idiots didn't use it to save lives when the country was under attack, why don't we just scrap it. Its clear that the Bush administration doesn't give a fuck about anyone who doesn't give him at least $1 million in "campaign contributions" every few months.

  6. Sad News...Julia Child, dead at 91 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Offtopic

    I just heard some sad news on talk radio - Revolutionary Chef/Cookbook writer Julia Child was found dead in her Maine home this morning. There weren't any more details. I'm sure everyone in the Slashdot community will miss her - even if you didn't enjoy her cooking, there's no denying her contributions to popular culture. Truly an American icon.

    oh wait...