Millions of residents in Brazil received emergency notifications on their phones about an alleged "alien invasion."
An unusual alert triggered a wave of anxiety and discussions on social media, prompting authorities to urgently disable the warning system and launch an investigation. This was reported by the Brazilian news portal Agencia Brasil.
The incident occurred at night. Mobile phone users in several states of the country received messages through the government’s emergency alert system. Some notifications contained only the word "misanthropy," while others featured more bizarre texts, including warnings about an alleged alien invasion.
According to the Brazilian Ministry of Integration and Regional Development, the civil defense system was subjected to a cyberattack. After the breach, unknown individuals gained access to the emergency notification distribution platform and sent false messages to millions of citizens. Authorities immediately disabled the service and contacted the Federal Police.
Representatives of the National Secretariat for Civil Protection reported that the perpetrators sent out at least ten different false notifications.
Preliminary estimates suggest that around 30 million people in eight regions of the country, including Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Brasília, and other cities, may have received the messages.
Particular concern was raised by the fact that the notifications were sent as "maximum level emergency alerts" - such signals are typically used in the event of threats from floods, landslides, hurricanes, or other natural disasters. Many residents were awakened in the middle of the night by the loud alarm signal.
