Regional broadcaster RTV Noord reports major hack affecting systems

RTV Noord, the regional broadcaster, is still struggling with the effects of the hacking on Thursday. The station said the attack “has significant effects on our broadcasts and content across all platforms.” On Friday, radio broadcasts are still being managed “with considerable effort,” but playing reports remains impossible, according to deputy editor-in-chief Cunera van Selm.

Van Selm said the hack was discovered Thursday morning, just before the broadcast, when the morning team was unable to access the systems. IT staff were immediately brought in and found a message from the hackers on the server. Van Selm declined to comment on the content of the message.

Thanks to a workaround, RTV Noord is once again able to publish content on its website and app. The radio station can also play music directly from its system again. On Thursday, the broadcaster had to rely on CDs and vinyl records. Live interviews and news bulletins continue, and TV broadcasts are proceeding as normal.

Who is responsible for the hack and whether a ransom is being demanded remains unknown. It is also unclear how long it will take to fix the problems. The broadcaster has notified the police.