Sage Alerting has issued a technical note regarding Emergency Alert System passwords.

In response to the Federal Communications Commission’s recent rule change, it sent an email to users of the Sage Digital ENDEC model 3644. It applies only to users in the United States.

“Important: If you are changing your ENDEC’s password to meet the new FCC requirements, do not use the ampersand (&) or plus (+) character in your new password,” it states.

The FCC will now require that stations and other EAS participants use a strong password with at least 15 characters. It said to avoid common words or using the same password for other purposes.

Security updates must be installed promptly, and stations must use firewalls or other network segmentation.

“While these rules take effect 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, these are commonly accepted cybersecurity rules,” Sage wrote. “There is no reason to wait.”

The company said it plans a free software update this year that fixes bugs and will permit the use of & and + in the password.

“You do not need to wait for that update to implement the new password requirements if you avoid those characters.”

The complete report and order is here. And Sage has posted specific guidance for its users here.

This article was intially published by our sister publication Radio World.

WASHINGTON—Settlements have been reached between the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau and a TV broadcaster, cable networks and a radio broadcaster for misusing the Emergency Alert Systems and Wireless Emergency Alert tones. Combined fines of $600,000 in civil penalties were issued as a result of misuse by ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” Discovery’s “Lone Star Law” and Meruelo Radio Holdings’ KDAY and KDEY-FM morning radio shows.

ABC agreed to pay a $395,000 civil penalty for an Oct. 2018 episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” where it used a simulated WEA tone three times during a sketch. AMC paid $104,000 for an episode of “The Walking Dead” that aired in February 2019 and used the EAS tone twice. Discovery paid $68,000 for an episode of “Lone Star Law” that included an actual WEA tone that was captured while filming during Hurricane Harvey. Meruelo Radio Holdings paid $67,000 for a promotion of its two morning shows that included a simulation of EAS tones. All outlets admitted their errors and agreed to a compliance plan.

In addition to these finds, the Enforcement Bureau has released an Enforcement advisory to reiterate the existing law that speaks to the misuse of EAS tones and how it can be a public safety concern.

“We remain concerned about the misuse of the EAS codes and EAS and WEA Attention Signals, or simultaneous thereof, to capture audience attention during advertisements; dramatic, entertainment and educational programs; and at any other time that there is no genuine alert, authorized test or authorized PSA about the EAS or WEA that is accompanied by an appropriate disclaimer,” the advisory reads.