A digital road sign in Longmont has been hacked for the second time in recent weeks, showing an inappropriate message that quickly caught the attention of local drivers and residents.
The sign, which was meant to share traffic-related information, was instead seen displaying vulgar language before it was taken offline.
This incident happened on Sunday and is being treated seriously by city officials. The hacked message stayed up for a short time, but many people saw it and shared photos on social media, creating concern about how easily the system could be accessed again.
City staff quickly responded after learning about the issue. According to the city, the sign was not owned by them directly but was rented from a private company for traffic control. Longmont staff contacted the vendor to shut down the display and figure out how the sign was accessed without permission.
This is not the first time such a situation has happened in Longmont. A few weeks earlier, another sign was also hacked and used to show an inappropriate message.
These back-to-back incidents are making many people question how secure the sign systems are, especially if they are being used in public places and during road construction work.
Longmont officials have said they are taking the matter seriously and will review the process for renting and using digital signs. They also plan to work with contractors to make sure stronger security steps are taken to avoid future hacks.
So far, it is not clear who is behind the hacks, but the city says it is looking into it. These kinds of incidents can be considered criminal activity, especially if they disrupt public safety or spread offensive content in public spaces.
The city is urging people not to try and tamper with public signs. If anyone sees something unusual or inappropriate displayed, they are asked to report it immediately to city authorities so that quick action can be taken.
Residents say they are surprised and disappointed that this has happened again. Some are asking for better security and tighter rules when using digital signs, especially in busy or high-traffic areas.
With two incidents so close together, it is likely that digital sign security will be looked at more closely in Longmont going forward. City staff say they are committed to preventing this kind of misuse in the future.