Cyberattacks on water supply systems exposed in USA
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have warned about a series of serious cyberattacks targeting water supply and wastewater treatment facilities across the country. According to reports, since the end of July, critical infrastructure enterprises in the states have faced digital threats, which has already caused disruptions in the water supply process in some regions. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports .
According to ixbt.com, since July 27, water treatment and distribution facilities in a total of seven states have become targets of cyberattacks. Experts note that this type of attack clearly demonstrates how dependent modern urban infrastructure is on digital networks and highlights its vulnerability.
Loss of control and technical issues
According to FBI data, the attackers managed to gain unauthorized access to programmable logic controllers (PLCs) used in industrial process control. Hackers remotely changed the IP addresses and passwords of the devices, resulting in local operators completely losing control over critical equipment.Representatives of the affected enterprises reported that as a result of these cyber intrusions, water pressure in the pipelines dropped sharply, and flooding was observed in some areas. The drop in pressure not only causes disruptions in water delivery to consumers but also creates more serious environmental and sanitary risks.
Hidden risks for infrastructure
Experts explain that sub-normal pressure in pipelines can lead to very dangerous consequences. In particular, this situation allows untreated groundwater to seep into the main pipes, posing a serious threat to the safety of the entire city's water supply system.These dangerous incidents occurred shortly after attacks on more than thirty municipal water supply facilities in Minnesota, forcing official authorities to take even stricter measures. Government agencies have sent special instructions to all relevant enterprises across the country to immediately strengthen security measures.
Recommendations for ensuring security
To prevent these threats, experts strongly recommended that enterprise managers and technical operators follow these important rules:- Strictly restrict direct connection of equipment to the internet
- Use protected gateways and modern firewalls
- Change all system passwords to enhanced variants
- Configure access control lists that allow data exchange only between trusted devices
Comments 0
…