Rating:

5.0 (2 votes)

An illegal intrusion into the nation's Emergency Alert System (EAS) is being investigated.

During Monday's cyber-attack, at least four television stations were the victims of a hoax after hackers broke into their EAS equipment.

The stations were WBKP and WNMU in Marquette, Michigan; KNME/KNDM in Albuquerque, New Mexico; and KRTV in Great Falls, Montana.

Jon Saunders, vice-president of the Montana Television Network, issued the following statement: "KRTV along with several other stations across the country was subject to a cyber-attack that intruded into our EAS system. We're still investigating what happened."

Greg MacDonald, president and CEO of the Montana Broadcasters Association, says the intrusion is a very serious federal offense and is being investigated by the FCC and the FBI.

He says stations in Utah and California were also affected.

MacDonald says preliminary reports indicate the hacker initiated the attack from overseas.