Hackers pushed false nuclear warnings through Ukraine's emergency alert app, and Russia says its own alert app was also attacked. Here is what to know.
Hackers broke into Ukraine's emergency alert app late Sunday and sent users false warnings of an imminent nuclear threat. Russia said its own emergency alert app was hit by a cyberattack the same night. Officials have not said whether the two attacks are linked.
Ukraine's alert service is an app on people's phones. Residents rely on it to find out when they need to seek safety, and the service is used amid daily attacks. Late Sunday, users instead received a false message about a nuclear threat. Authorities in both countries said their apps had been targeted by cyberattacks.
An alert app is software, and software can be broken into. When people trust an app to tell them when to run for cover, a fake message can cause real fear and bad decisions. It can also make people doubt the real alerts that come later.
People in Ukraine who use the national alert app were the ones who received the false warnings. Users of Russia's emergency alert app were also targeted. Readers elsewhere can relax about this specific incident, but the lesson applies to any phone alert you get.
The alert box above lists the steps. The short version: pause, confirm the news with a second trusted source, keep your apps updated, and hold off on forwarding until it is confirmed.
The material does not say who was behind the attacks, how the hackers got in, or how many people saw the false alerts. It is also unclear whether the Ukrainian and Russian incidents are connected. Those answers will shape how much trust people place in alert apps going forward.
Before you act on a shocking alert, even from an official app, confirm it with a second trusted source.
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