Hackers Suspected After Strange 'misantropi4' Alert Appears on Phones Across Brazil

An unauthorized alert carrying a mysterious message that was sent to cell phones across several Brazilian states on Saturday morning is suspected to have been the work of hackers. The message, which appeared on devices nationwide, read “misantropi4” — an alphanumeric variation of the Portuguese word “misantropia,” which translates to “misanthropy” in English.

The alert was first reported in the southern state of Paraná before a second wave reached residents in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Brazilian authorities said the emergency warning platform was taken offline after being targeted by a hacker group. The government is now working to restore the system once all security requirements have been met.

Alongside alerts sent through the Cell Broadcast system, residents in São Paulo reported receiving identical warning messages via SMS.

Authorities in Paraná said the alert was not issued by the state’s Civil Defense agency and stressed that no severe weather or other emergency conditions had been forecast for Curitiba. The state government added that it had contacted both the National Civil Defense and telecom regulator Anatel to investigate the incident.

Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro’s Civil Defense confirmed that it had not issued any official alert. According to the agency, the messages were likely caused by a malfunction in the IDAP/Cell Broadcast alert system, a platform operated by the National Civil Defense under the federal government.

Officials also emphasized that there were no ongoing natural disaster risks that would warrant an emergency alert in Rio de Janeiro. Residents in the city similarly reported receiving SMS messages containing the same warning.