Brazil’s Emergency Alert System Hacked, Sending Fake Warnings Nationwide Last week, Brazil’s emergency alert system was disrupted after a cyberattack triggered false alarms across multiple regions. On Saturday morning, residents in Paraná, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and other areas received an alarming SMS and Cellbroadcast message labeled "Extreme Alert" with the word "misantropi4" a leetspeak variation of the Portuguese "misantropia" (hatred of humanity). The fake alert, which caused widespread confusion, originated from a compromised government system managed by Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel). Authorities took the National Civil Defense warning platform offline at 1:30 a.m. local time to investigate the breach, leaving it disabled until security checks are complete. According to malware repository vx-underground, the attack was carried out by an individual using the alias "mizanthropiaz." The breach stemmed from a 2016 security lapse when a government employee’s computer was infected with infostealer malware, exposing their credentials. Shockingly, the password identical to the username had never been updated in the past decade. The system also lacked basic protections, including multi-factor authentication and secure connections, relying instead on a static security question ("2+2=?") to prevent automated attacks. Local civil defense teams confirmed no legitimate alerts were issued, and Anatel is now collaborating with authorities to determine the full extent of the breach. The incident highlights critical vulnerabilities in Brazil’s emergency infrastructure.