At least 12 states report cyberattacks on water systems possibly linked to Iran-backed hackers, sources say - CBS News
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Cyberattacks on U.S. water systems that officials suspect may be linked to Iran-backed hackers have been reported in at least a dozen states, sources familiar with the matter told CBS News on Wednesday.
Those states include Michigan, Minnesota, Georgia, New Jersey and South Dakota. In Minnesota specifically, more than 30 community water systems were impacted, CBS News previously learned.
In Georgia, the Clayton County Water Authority, which serves 300,000 customers in the Atlanta area, said cyber activity last month caused a water pressure drop and forced the agency to issue a boil water advisory. Service was restored within hours, however.
Some utilities have lost critical remote-control capabilities, forcing operators to switch to manual mode. In several cases, the hackers gained remote access to pumps, valves and water pressure.
So far, according to officials, the cyberattacks have had no impact on drinking water, which has remained safe.
On July 30, the FBI, Environmental Protection Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency all warned that cyber threat actors had remotely accessed online infrastructure for water and wastewater systems in at least seven states, "resulting in a loss of monitoring and control functionality."
The water agencies were advised to disconnect their operating programs from the internet and strengthen their password protections and firewalls.
While federal investigators suspect Iran-backed hackers are behind the attacks, they have not made any formal attribution.
The tactics resemble a 2023 campaign by the CyberAv3ngers, a group linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which tapped into water-system controllers using default passwords.
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I'm glad they weren't able to access any of the treatment processes such as disinfection or fluoridation
Some utilities have lost critical remote-control capabilities, forcing operators to switch to manual mode.
That is exactly what they should be doing. Some of these computer systems are archaic and that is why they can easily be hacked into. Computerization is not always the best thing in the world, therefore if a place in Michigan can't afford to upgrade their system they need to return to manual mode.
Running utilities in manual mode requires more workers, more costs, higher rates. This is precisely the area that the feds should step in and provide guidance and incentives to upgrade.
I'm in favor of either.
American citizens not having water should never be an option.
Not the current government.
In Michigan, the local news station interviewed the administrator overseeing several water systems in the area and he explained why the cyberattack was no threat. The systems he oversees are computerized and automated, but can't be hacked because they are stand alone systems not tied to the internet, the only thing tied to the internet was administration services which are the computers in the office.
I don't know if all utilities are air gapped, but they should be.
Evidently it isn't all that difficult to protect vital utilities.
Time to return the attack
You don't think we are?
I bet I know someone currently busy writing a program....
We have a whole departement of people...
We sure do....
Sorry, Republicans are currently too busy grilling Fauci and trying to prove Biden did something illegal to worry about this 'minor skirmish' in the middle east they started unprovoked. Please try your call for rational thought later.
tmp has already blamed Tim Waltz for the attack
trump will be blaming his lost war with iran on democrats before the midterm election ...