Tag Archive for: Cybersecurity

American Water Cyberattack Renews Focus On Protecting Critical Infrastructure

/in , /by /Fox 5 San Diego by Bruce Shipkowski

A cyberattack continues to affect the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States, renewing a focus on the importance of protecting critical infrastructure sites.

New Jersey-based American Water paused billing to customers as it announced the cyberattack on Monday. It said it became aware of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and immediately took protective steps, including shutting down certain systems. Water services have been unaffected as protections remained in place Wednesday.

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Water Supplier American Water Works Says Systems Hacked

/in , /by /CBS News Moneywatchby Kate Gibson

American Water Works — a supplier of drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people — on Monday said hackers had breached its computer networks and systems, prompting it to pause billing to customers.

The Camden, New Jersey-based utility became aware of the unauthorized activity on Thursday, and took protective steps, including shutting down certain systems, American Water Works stated in a regulatory filing. The company does not believe its facilities or operations were impacted by the cybersecurity incident, but is “currently unable to predict the full impact,” it stated.

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Water Facilities Warned to Improve Cybersecurity as Nation-State Hackers Pounce

/in , , /by /The Wall Street Journalby Catherine Stupp

The water sector is under pressure to improve cybersecurity protections as hacking threats grow.

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US Water Supply Targeted by Russian Hackers: Report

/in , , /by /Newsweekby Brendan Cole

A hacking group behind cyberattacks on water systems in the United States, Poland and France is connected to the Russian military, a cybersecurity firm has found, signaling a possible escalation by Moscow to target adversaries’ infrastructure.

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Iranian-Linked Hacks Expose Vulnerabilities of US Water System

/in , , /by /Insurance Journalby Jamie Tarabay and Katrina Manson

In late November, an Iranian-backed hacking group attacked Israeli-made digital controls commonly used in the water and wastewater industries in the US, affecting multiple organizations across several states.

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Top White House Cyber Aide Says Recent Iran Hack on Water System is Call to Tighten Cybersecurity

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Aamer Madhani

A top White House national security official said recent cyber attacks by Iranian hackers on U.S. water authorities — as well as a separate spate of ransomware attacks on the health care industry — should be seen as a call to action by utilities and industry to tighten cybersecurity.

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DOJ Asked to Investigate Water Utility Hack

/in , , /by /The Hillby Lauren Irwin

Three members of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation have asked the Department of Justice to investigate how foreign hackers breached a water authority near Pittsburgh, which prompted warnings to other water treatment facilities.

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Cybersecurity Agency Warns That Water Utilities Are Vulnerable to Hackers After Pennsylvania Attack

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Associated Press

Hackers are targeting industrial control systems widely used by water and sewage-treatment utilities, potentially threatening water supplies, the top U.S. cyberdefense agency said after a Pennsylvania water authority was hacked.

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Court Pauses Cybersecurity Rule Following Legal Challenge

/in , /by /Water Finance and Management by WFM Staff

This week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit granted a request from the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) to stop the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Cybersecurity Rule from going into effect until a current case challenging the rule has been decided.

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High Tech, High Stakes: How Vulnerable to Cyberattacks is U.S. Water Infrastructure?

/in , /by /Water Finance & Managementby Andrew Farr

According to government officials, security experts and persistent media reports, all signs indicate that cybersecurity is an issue that is here to stay and puts U.S. infrastructure squarely in the crosshairs of hackers and foreign governments. Recently the issue has been heightened by the war in Ukraine and has increased concerns about a potential Russian retaliation to U.S. sanctions that may come in the form of a cyberattack.

But whether it’s Russia, China, another foreign government or an independent hacker, concerns about how cyberattacks could impact infrastructure in the United States have been elevated – and a look at how they could affect the water industry is fascinating.

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