Mich. says water systems targeted in cyberattacks, FBI receives reports from multiple states

Michigan reported cyberattacks targeting nine of the state’s water systems following Minnesota’s earlier report that more than 30 water systems had been targeted, while the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said that at least five other states had also been affected.

Following an article published by The New York Times that cited Iran as the culprit behind the intrusions, President Donald Trump pushed back on those reports during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David on Friday.

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Meanwhile, Dale George, director of communications for the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), said Saturday that Michigan officials had received reports soon after a federal cyber alert was issued on Tuesday, warning of attempts to tamper with operational technology at water systems.

The state received “a small number of reports from Michigan communities indicating activity consistent with what federal agencies described,” George said, reporting that nine systems had been targeted.

Nonetheless the EGLE director said that, “all systems continued to operate safely, issues were addressed by local operators, and there are no known impacts that posed a public health concern.”

On Thursday the FBI warned of “malicious cyber actors,” in an X post.

“The FBI warns that malicious cyber actors are conducting cyber attacks targeting operational technology devices. These threat actors are remotely accessing internet-facing PLCs, changing IPs and passwords, and causing operational disruption, including pressure loss and flooding,” the FBI said.

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“The FBI is aware of recent public reporting around Water and Wastewater (WWS) sectors,” the agency said in a separate statement on Saturday. “The FBI and our interagency partners are fully engaged to protect critical infrastructure and we remain well-equipped to protect against cyber threats of all varieties.”

State and local officials nationwide are on high alert following cyberattacks targeting computer systems that monitor and manage municipal water supplies, though Minnesota authorities emphasized there is no indication drinking water has been compromised as of Thursday.

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While it is not yet clear who is responsible for the attacks, the AP noted that Iranian-linked hackers have been interested in U.S. water systems for years.

Data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that the vast majority of the nation’s public water systems—97 percent of the 156,000 facilities overall—each supply water to fewer than 10,000 people.

(*) Full article: https://www.oann.com/newsroom/mich-says-water-systems-targeted-in-cyberattacks-fbi-receives-reports-from-multiple-states/