BabyTV, the channel that normally provides safe entertainment for little ones, recently became the stage of unintentional political propaganda. Hackers found a way to broadcast a Russian propaganda video via a hacked satellite. KPN and Ziggo, which offer BabyTV, confirmed the incident and apologized.
Why you need to know this:
From hospitals to television stations, we are increasingly hearing about cyber attacks. It is important to be aware of the frequency and nature of these attacks.
According to NU.nl, satellite company Eutelsat was allegedly the target of a “sophisticated hack” last week. The news medium reported this based on information from several sources within the TV broadcasting world.
The propaganda video included images of Russian President Putin and the flag of Russia. The manipulated signal was sent not only to the Netherlands, but also to Portugal and Scandinavian countries. According to the news site, this is in all likelihood the first time in the Netherlands that a television broadcast was taken over by hacking a satellite.
Research
Eutelsat reports that external radio frequency interference affected some video services with a limited number of customers for a short period of time. The satellite company has announced it is investigating the hack and taking measures to prevent a recurrence.
Threat of cyber attacks
While the exact technical details of the satellite hack are still unclear, this incident highlights the ever-present threat of cyber attacks. Satellite communications are often considered secure, but as this incident demonstrates, no system is immune to breaches. This raises questions about the security protocols used by both satellite companies and television providers.
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