1 - mikew
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Durham Radio Group
Anyone know what's going on with them?
KX 96, KX 94.7 and The Rock 94.9 all are having technical issues (bad signal and no DJ's).
- RadioAaron
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Re: Durham Radio Group
Their social media accounts indicate whatever it is has been happening since Sunday. I can see 96/94 having trouble at the same time, but Hamilton too?
Ransonware situation, maybe?
- RadioActive
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Re: Durham Radio Group
It started on the weekend, with several posters talking about outages on both CKDO and KX96. Another poster suggested they were hacked, while on Facebook, a poster indicated a virus had infiltrated their systems, and another complained, "They keep playing the same songs over and over."
If it was a computer intruder, it seems like it's taking a very long time to get back to normal. Tuesday makes it four days of interruptions to regular programming - and counting.
- RadioAaron
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Re: Durham Radio Group
RadioActive wrote:
It started on the weekend, with several posters talking about outages on both CKDO and KX96. Another poster suggested they were hacked, while on Facebook, a poster indicated a virus had infiltrated their systems, while another complained, "They keep playing the same songs over and over."
If it was a computer intruder, it seems like it's taking a very long time to get back to normal. Tuesday makes it four days of interruptions to regular programming - and counting.
That'll do it then. If they don't have a solid backup regimen, the options are pay-up or start from scratch.
- Radiowiz
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Re: Durham Radio Group
One of the comments someone made on Facebook is priceless.
" I yelled at my google home because it wasnt working.... now I feel guilty. I'll have to apologize to her " 
Last edited by Radiowiz (June 2, 2020 8:35 pm)
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- Saul
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Re: Durham Radio Group
89.9, 94.9 and possibly 95.9 had open carriers on the weekend, but all seem normal now from my radio in North Kawarthas... 94.7 is weak but sometimes that's the case up here...
- Tickle Trunk
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Re: Durham Radio Group
One of the comments someone made on Facebook is priceless.
" I yelled at my google home because it wasnt working.... now I feel guilty. I'll have to apologize to her "
C'mon, how many of us talk back to Google Mini/Home or Alexis? I have it set to <continued conversation> and we go back and forth.🙉
- Prod Guy
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Re: Durham Radio Group
It's a ransomware attack. The rumor is there were no backups and an Australian firm is working on trying to get them back up and running. They're running on a loop currently. Possibly mp3's or CD's.
- Radiowiz
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Re: Durham Radio Group
So if this can happen to Durham radio inc then it can happen to other radio companies also?
Or is Durham Radio inc simply using older antiquated equipment and computer programs?
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- mikew
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Re: Durham Radio Group
It's a ransomware attack. The rumor is there were no backups and an Australian firm is working on trying to get them back up and running. They're running on a loop currently. Possibly mp3's or CD's.
Wow. I wonder if this is going to be a new trend?
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Thread Starter- AMFM
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Re: Durham Radio Group
It's Ransomeware for both Oshawa and Hamilton stations. Prod Guy has it right.
Last edited by AMFM (June 3, 2020 10:15 am)
- Chrisphen
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Re: Durham Radio Group
In my day we didn't rely on computers and other crutches to get the job done. We used our brains and our moxie!
- Tickle Trunk
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Re: Durham Radio Group
In my day we didn't rely on computers and other crutches to get the job done. We used our brains and our moxie!
That hyperbole is off-sides. Presumably in your day, computers didn't either exist or didn't have the technical capabilities they do now.
Further, as someone that is in the business, I take moist umbridge that I neither use my brain nor have moxie just because I use a computer. Given the demands placed on us, computers in fact require more brain power because we have to multitask, and operate multiple streams of business.
- Prod Guy
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Re: Durham Radio Group
In my day we didn't rely on computers and other crutches to get the job done. We used our brains and our moxie!
What about spunk? Did you use spunk? Or gumption? I use gumption sometimes. Occasionally I rely on people liking the cut of my jib.
Last edited by Prod Guy (June 4, 2020 11:25 pm)
- RadioActive
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Re: Durham Radio Group
I heard Stafford on 640 Friday refer to the malware attack on "one radio group in the GTA." He talked about how they were being forced to air .mp3s and CDs while "some Australian firm" was trying to get them back on the air. I'm assuming this is the case he was referencing.
- mjf
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Re: Durham Radio Group
The HD signal is gone from 94.7 too. I can hear WNED again!
- tri-cities
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Re: Durham Radio Group
Seems like a awfully long time, listen to KX94 yesterday, sounds rough. Since the coming of Automation I always carried off site backups weekly. Today pretty easy to use the cloud for off site. With Mediatouch as an example a basic On Air machine can be configured and on the air in maybe 1 hour, point to the backup and you are done.
- Chrisphen
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Re: Durham Radio Group
Maybe they stored the floppies too close to the bulk eraser.
- LOSat
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Re: Durham Radio Group
Or the malware was there for a while before being triggered and it was already on the backups.
- markow202
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Re: Durham Radio Group
Just checked WAVE.fm on tunein which I sometimes listen to while working, and its silent dead air.
- Glen Warren
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Re: Durham Radio Group
Or the malware was there for a while before being triggered and it was already on the backups.
Ouch....
- Storm
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Re: Durham Radio Group
As part of my morning coffee radio listening, I check out 92.9 The Grand and yesterday morning it was straight music. No Paul Laing. This morning CKDO 107.7 was simulcasting its morning show on 92.9 The Grand - and they acknowledged they were doing so.
- Saul
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Re: Durham Radio Group
Not nimble enough to find a way to even just get locals hosts and shows back on the air, or at least provide local programming? On the surface it seems ludicrous that they'd leave their proper operation so vulnerable... but I don't know the business well enough to pass ultimate judgement ...
- Tickle Trunk
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Re: Durham Radio Group
is there an update on this situation?
Yes there is.
- Saul
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Re: Durham Radio Group
I've heard HD noise on adjacents to 94.7 and I think 94.9 at times, though 94.9 has seem either subdued or off this weekend from my listening post in Kawarthas... I was getting Gatineau QC on 94.9 and am recording the channel for meteor scatter (I've managed to hear Hot 100.5 in Winnipeg that way yesterday afternoon, after getting the Peterborough 'Fresh' station out of the way with a decent directional antenna that works so well it's sometimes hard to know if a nearby station is off, on low power or simply being thwarted by conditions or my antenna).
- RadioAaron
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Re: Durham Radio Group
is there an update on this situation?
Looks like things got mostly back to normal this morning.
- Radiowiz
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Re: Durham Radio Group
is there an update on this situation?
Looks like things got mostly back to normal this morning.
Okay good! Hopefully everything can stay normal now.
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- RadioAaron
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Re: Durham Radio Group
is there an update on this situation?
Looks like things got mostly back to normal this morning.
Okay good! Hopefully everything can stay normal now.
Well, they may need to reconsider their IT team.