In recent months, a number of water facilities experienced computer breaches.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) briefed congressional staffers on the breach of the computers of several water facilities in the U.S. in recent months. The equipment that was hacked in each instance was an Israeli-made system providing a communications link between facilities.
The agency’s concerns stem from the low level of skill evidenced in the attacks, though no disruptions to water service or threats to drinking water occurred. Both CISA and the FBI urged facilities to remove internet access from their industrial equipment as investigations are conducted into multiple hacks.
Congressman Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, who represents a district where one of the hacks occurred, said, “Our adversaries don’t care who runs critical infrastructure. If they can get in through the weakest link–and [if] that’s a small municipal authority or private vendor–that’s where they’re going to target. It should be a wakeup call.“
U.S. and Israeli officials believe the hackers to be affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s military branch.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For members of Congress as they consider the vulnerabilities of critical infrastructure in the U.S.
- For Director Jen Easterly as she heads the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
- For U.S. officials as they work with state, local, and private industry officials to protect the nation’s critical infrastructure.
Sources: NPR, CNN
