[EAS] [BC] Multiple encoders

[Dale Lamm]

[snip]

Wow - That one IS a mystery

Clay Freinwald

But why would you need to spend $$ on hand held multiple remote units
when you can use any studio computer on your internal network to control
the single Sage Endec with MSRP?

[end]

At one facility I am familiar with, any insider with a domain account
can log into a building computer. From that, they use a browser to open
the model 3644's web GUI. After supplying the EAS password, it's
possible to abort or relay a pending alert, or initiate an RWT. Any
outside perpetrator who manages to get past the building's hardware
firewall, start a session on an inside computer, then guess the 3644's
web GUI password could do the same. Pretty high hurdles, but not as high
a hurdle (for the outside perp) as a hand controller talking over a
serial link.

My guess is that a competent I/T admin could figure out a way to put a
firewall between the 3644 and the internet, allowing ONLY FEMA traffic
and NTP time server traffic to pass. Then the station could use a hand
controller (or the 4 buttons on the face) to perform local EAS
functions. Don't know if we want to do that at our facility, I was glad
to see the hand controllers go away.

There are several ways to lash up EAS gear. Some better than others, as
last week's intrusion demonstrated.