FCC requires emergency alert distributors to secure their systems
FCC requires emergency alert distributors to secure their systems
https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/fcc-emergency-alerts-cybersecurity-requirements/823880/
Publish Date: 2026-06-26 11:29:00
Source Domain: www.cybersecuritydive.com
Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points.
The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday approved a set of basic cybersecurity rules for the companies that issue emergency alerts in the U.S.
The FCC’s three commissioners unanimously adopted an order that will require Emergency Alerting System (EAS) operators — including radio stations, broadcast TV networks and cable systems — to use strong passwords, deploy network firewalls and promptly apply security patches.
In a statement, the commission said the new requirements would protect EAS systems from “hijacking by cybercriminals and our nation’s adversaries” and thereby “preserve the public’s trust in EAS.”
EAS systems have long been vulnerable to cyberattacks. In 2013, hackers commandeered EAS systems in five stations and interrupted local TV broadcasts with fake warnings of a zombie uprising. Investigators later determined that some of the hacked EAS devices used default passwords listed online in user manuals.
In 2022, the FCC and the Federal Emergency Management Agency warned EAS operators to fix a critical vulnerability in their equipment and take other steps to secure their systems. The FCC noted that it previously had warned EAS operators about the flaw, which received renewed attention after a security researcher discussed it at the 2022 DEF CON hacker conference.
More alert security coming soon
The FCC is also planning other security requirements for EAS operators, as well as for participants in the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system, which allows government officials to distribute public-safety messages to smartphones through partnerships with wireless carriers.
A new Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would require EAS operators to authenticate alerts before transmitting them and eliminate what the FCC called “outdated WEA geotargeting exceptions” that sometimes lead to people receiving alerts in the wrong areas. The proposed rule would also require EAS and WEA operators to include symbols in their alerts that would help people better understand the nature of an emergency.
