Straight Arrow reported last week that U.S. officials were investigating whether Iran-backed hackers targeted more than 30 municipal water systems in Minnesota.
Now, the suspected wave of attacks appears to be much broader.
Cyberattacks on U.S. water systems possibly linked to Iran-backed hackers have been reported in at least 12 states, including Michigan, Minnesota, Georgia, New Jersey and South Dakota. Federal investigators suspect Iran-backed hackers may be involved, but they have not made a formal attribution.
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So far, officials say drinking water has remained safe.
From Minnesota to a wider warning
In Minnesota, hackers focused on equipment that helps utilities operate and oversee local water systems. Disruptions knocked some automated controls offline, forcing workers to perform certain tasks manually.
Similar operational problems have now been reported outside Minnesota. Operators at some utilities have had to manage equipment by hand after losing remote access. In several cases, hackers reached controls connected to pumps, valves and water pressure.
The New York Times reported that at least 100 municipalities have recently found signs of malicious activity involving water systems, although some cases may not be connected.
Where disruptions happened
In Georgia, Clayton County Water Authority said cyber activity last month caused a drop in water pressure and forced the agency to issue a boil water advisory. Service was restored within hours to the agency’s nearly 300,000 customers.
Rapid City, South Dakota, is also working with federal officials after a cyberincident affected a specialized pump in its wastewater system. City spokesman Darrell Shoemaker said the water supply “remains safe and protected.” He declined to say whether the case was linked to the other reported attacks.
The Iran question
Federal investigators have not formally attributed the attacks. The Times reported that state and local officials briefed by federal authorities view the Iran assessment as preliminary.
The tactics resemble a 2023 campaign by CyberAv3ngers, a group linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, that accessed water-system controllers using default passwords, according to CBS News.
The incidents have renewed warnings about the vulnerability of local water systems.
“We are facing a reckoning of the consequences of ignoring the importance of investing in our nation’s cybersecurity for our critical infrastructure,” Tatyana Bolton, executive director of the Operational Technology Cybersecurity Coalition, said in a public statement after the Minnesota attack.
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