Hacker gets into early warning system, sends alert

AN investigation is underway after a service designed to alert Far North Queenslanders of severe weather and natural hazard events was hacked.

The Early Warning Network was illegally accessed about 9.30pm on Saturday, with a nuisance message sent out to a part of the network’s database. It was sent out via email, text message and landline to those subscribed to the service and read: “EWN has been hacked. Your personal data is not safe. Trying to fix the security issues”.

The message also provided people with the option to unsubscribe from receiving future EWN alerts via an email address provided.

Tablelands Regional Council – Disaster Management was quick to inform people of the hack through social media, urging people to stay calm while they got the latest on the hack.

A statement released by the Early Warning Network yesterday said the matter was being investigated.

“The unauthorised alert sent on Saturday night was undertaken by an unauthorised person using illicitly gained credentials to login and post a nuisance spam-notification to some of our customers,” the statement said.

“The link used in this alert (was) non-harmful and your personal information was not compromised in this event.

“Investigations are continuing with the police and Australian Cyber Security Centre.”

The network has advised that, while the system was hacked, “no data has been taken”.

“It was purely an EWN admin login that then sent an alert, like we do for severe weather,” they informed subscribers.

“EWN staff at the time were able to quickly identify the attack and shut off the system, limiting the number of messages sent out.

“Unfortunately, a small proportion of our database received this alert.

“Our systems are back up and running providing ongoing alerts for severe weather and natural hazard events.”