Cyberthreats Have Broadcasters Hacked Off

[Commentary] While politically motivated hacks such as the ones that may have disrupted France’sTV5Monde and WBOC Salisbury (MD), are scary, they aren't likely to be typical. Stations and networks are more likely to be hit by garden variety malware and malicious code intrusions because where there is Internet protocol (IP), there is vulnerability. An area of particular security concern to broadcasters is the nation’s Emergency Alert System, which is increasingly dependent on networked and IP-based services.

What then can most broadcasters do to beef up protection and improve survivability? “The first step is cyber hygiene,” says Kelly Williams, senior director of engineering for the National Association of Broadcasters, echoing the consensus of most cybersecurity experts across all sectors. Broadcasters should know where their vulnerabilities are and take the appropriate basic steps to make it more difficult for intruders to gain access, he says. “Where is your firewall? Is everything you have protected? Did you change all the default passwords on every piece of equipment you own? “I can’t stress enough the concept of understanding what your risk is. You get 50 percent of the way there if you sit down and have a conversation with your staff and you look at where all the vulnerabilities are.”

[Cynthia Brumfield is a veteran communications and technology analyst who is currently focused on cybersecurity]