In an unexpected turn of events, Oregon Lottery LED billboards were hacked this week, with mysterious cat animations replacing the usual display of the Powerball Jackpot prize. The adorable yet puzzling incident, which took place between August 12 and 14, left both onlookers and officials scratching their heads. At least seven billboards across Oregon were affected, forcing the screens to temporarily go dark before normal service could be restored.
Furry Invasion
The disruption became evident when Portland residents noticed lottery billboards showing a GIF-style animation of two cartoon cats hugging, surrounded by floating love hearts. These images, which were supposed to display the current Powerball Jackpot amount, quickly went viral on social media, drawing attention to the unexpected takeover.
Melanie Mesaros, a spokesperson for the Oregon Lottery, addressed the situation on Thursday. She clarified that not all LED screens were impacted and that the appearance of the cat animations seemed to be random. “The Lottery was not responsible for the fluffy invasion,” Mesaros stated, adding that they were working closely with their vendor to resolve the issue and ensure such disruptions do not happen again.
The Mystery Behind the Cats
While the source of the hack remains unclear, evidence suggests that the animations might be linked to a digital artist who operates under the social media handle @SH_4RK. Followers of @SH_4RK posted images to the artist’s X timeline (formerly Twitter), showing similar cat animations on LED screens not only in Oregon but in other states across the US. In response, @SH_4RK expressed surprise at seeing his work displayed on these billboards, indicating that the artist might not have been directly involved in the hack.
A Broader Issue
According to Mesaros, the disruption was part of a “global issue” related to Daktronics, the company responsible for operating the LED screens. This was corroborated by Betsy Hege, manager of Meadow Outdoor Advertising, the Dalles City, Oregon-based company that owns the billboards. Hege emphasized that while the billboards are paid for by the Oregon Lottery, the digital screens are controlled by Daktronics.
“Full digital screens are the responsibility of the owner operator, but the LEDs like this are controlled by the client,” Hege explained. “We all work hard to prevent hacks and have protocols should it happen. We will have a good debrief with the Lottery and Daktronics to understand what happened.”
Hege expressed disappointment over the incident, noting that Meadow Outdoor Advertising was “saddened that our signs were displaying the furry image.” The company is now working to understand the breach and prevent future occurrences.
The Response
Despite the lighthearted nature of the hack, KOIN 6 News reached out to Daktronics for further clarification on whether the incident was indeed the result of a cyberattack. However, the company did not provide a response at the time of reporting.
The incident highlights the vulnerabilities in digital signage systems and the potential for such disruptions to occur on a larger scale. While the hacked billboards in Oregon brought smiles to many with their cute cat animations, the event underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity measures in protecting public-facing digital infrastructure.
