By Raphael Satter and AJ Vicens

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Hackers are hijacking U.S. radio transmission equipment to broadcast bogus emergency messages and obscene language, the Federal Communications Commission said on Wednesday.

In a public notice, the FCC said a “recent string of cyber intrusions against various radio broadcasters” had occurred, resulting in the issuance of the U.S. Emergency Alert System’s “Attention Signal.” The signal is an attention-grabbing sound that is meant to precede official announcements related to tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and other emergencies.

The FCC said the hackers appeared to have compromised improperly secured equipment made by the Swiss network audio company Barix and reconfigured it “to receive attacker-controlled audio in lieu of station pr

See Full Page