Danger, the dead are rising and attacking people. That is simply the stuff of fiction and fantasy, at least until last week when KRTV in Great Falls, MT, was hacked and a bogus EAS message went out to viewers warning them of — pardon the pun — a real-life zombie apocalypse.
The hack, which underscored the importance of protecting core IP infrastructure from hackers and pranksters, prompted the FCC to issue an advisory to EAS participants to reset passwords and ensure their EAS equipment was secured behind properly configured firewalls.
Prompted by the incident, I thought Digital Alerts Systems, which specializes in EAS equipment for broadcasters, may have important insights to share. The company has published a white paper, available on its website, outlining CAP, EAS and IPAWs recommendations for security
In this week’s podcast interview, Ed Czarnecki, senior director, Strategy, Development & Regulatory Affairs, Digital Alert Systems, discusses the problems associated with maintaining network security, strategies broadcasters should employ and the need for the FCC, FEMA or some other responsible government agency to ensure the security of CAP and IPAWS servers.
