Unauthorized alert sent to cell phones across Brazil
Key takeaways
- The alert – categorized as “extreme” – was initially received in the southern state of Paraná, but a second warning was triggered a few minutes later for cell phones in the major cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
- Suspected hacker sends unauthorized alert across Brazil.
- The false alert was remotely triggered by someone who is not part of the National Civil Protection and Defense System, according to a statement from Brazil’s National Civil Defense.
An "extreme alert" received by cell phone users across Brazil shortly after midnight on Saturday morning was likely hackers, the Brazilian government said. Evaristo Sa/AFP/Getty Images South America Digital security See all topics Facebook Tweet Email Link Threads Link Copied! Follow Summary Cell phones across several Brazilian states received an unauthorized alert on Saturday morning displaying the word 'misantropi4,' which translates to 'misanthropy.' Brazil's National Civil Defense warning platform has been temporarily taken offline. The unauthorized message reached the major cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. AI-generated summary was reviewed by a CNN editor. São Paulo, BrazilCNN Brasil — An unauthorized alert bearing a mysterious message that was sent to cell phones in several states across Brazil on Saturday morning is suspected to be the work of hackers, the Brazilian government said.
Devices lit up with the word “misantropi4,” an alphanumeric spelling of the Portuguese word “misantropia,” which in English translates to “misanthropy.” The final letter “a” was substituted with a number ‘4’ – a practice often used by hackers and termed “leetspeak.”
The alert – categorized as “extreme” – was initially received in the southern state of Paraná, but a second warning was triggered a few minutes later for cell phones in the major cities of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.