US Water Supply: In late July, the US state of Minnesota reported that at least 30 of its municipal water systems had been hit by a 'co-ordinated cyber attack', shocking many. After a few days, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned. In which it was said that cyber actors with ill intentions breached water and wastewater systems in at least seven states, which disrupted operations and exposed vulnerabilities in essential public services.
Since then, several US states, including Georgia, New Jersey and South Dakota, have reported similar attacks, but it is not clear whether they are part of the seven states on the FBI list. Initially, the Donald Trump Administration blamed alleged hackers linked to Iran for the cyber attack, but the US government has not yet officially held anyone responsible for the hack.
How many water systems are there in the US?
Federal government data shows there are 152,000 public drinking water systems and more than 16,000 wastewater treatment sites across the United States. Most municipalities get their water from lakes, reservoirs, rivers or underground aquifers. Electric pumps then move the water through pipes to a treatment plant that filters and disinfects it, pumps the treated supply into storage tanks, which then distribute it to homes, businesses, and public utility spaces like parks and schools. The entire system may be spread over several square miles.
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How are hackers targeting?
According to a CNN report, hackers are targeting Internet-facing Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). These are devices that allow all industrial equipment to communicate with water facilities and other industrial plants. Programmable logic controllers monitor water pressure, chemical dosing, and other factors in the water system to ensure it is safe to drink. People working in municipalities use dashboards to operate controllers using wired networks, radio or cellular links, or Internet connections.
Is Iran behind these attacks?
US officials are investigating whether the cyberattacks could be linked to Iranian hackers, CBS News reported, warning that the assessment could change as more technical evidence is gathered. Iran has a history of carrying out similar attacks on Israeli supplies. However, at a Cabinet meeting last week, Trump blamed Minnesota officials for the hack and raised doubts about whether Iran was involved. Besides, he said that they like to say oh this is Iran. Iran should be very lucky. Iran has bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota. Meanwhile, investigators are also looking into whether any other actors tried to copy Iranian tactics to mislead authorities.
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