Riders of the LA Metro got a disturbing surprise last week when digital signage that usually displays wait times was hacked to displays alarming messages. Photos posted online showed one digital displays showing the message “EMERGENCY WARNING. LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. RISK OF SUICIDE BOMB.”
The LA Metro confirmed that displays at multiple bus stops were affected by the hack, with blame pointed to a third-party content management system that had been accessed by hackers. While the disturbing messages were signed with a social media handle believed to belong to a Turkish hacking group, the bad actors behind the signage hijacking have yet to be officially identified.
Following the hack, the LA Metro released a message stating that it has begun an investigation into the incident.
“The unauthorized messaging has since been removed,” wrote a spokesperson for the transit system. “LA Metro is working with Papercast, its third-party vendor, to identify the source of the intrusion and address it.”
