Cyberattacks targeting community water systems (CWSs) are escalating in frequency and severity, posing significant risks to public safety according to federal agencies.
Incidents reveal that attackers can manipulate operational technology, leading to severe disruptions in water treatment, distribution, and storage. Potential consequences include damaging infrastructure and altering chemical levels to hazardous amounts. Federal agencies, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI, have issued numerous advisories about such threats, often attributed to nation-state organizations.
An alarming 70% of systems inspected by the EPA since September 2023 failed to meet basic Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements, with common issues like unchanged default passwords and insufficient resilience assessments. Immediate action is critical to mitigate these vulnerabilities and protect public health.
Reporting for WGRT – Choze Powell
