JUST IN: Environmental Protection Agency Warns Of Major Cyberattacks To U.S. Water Systems
The national security of the United States will remain in perpetual jeopardy until the installed administration is out of office. Joe Biden is the laughing stock of the world as America’s enemies are ramping up the attacks.
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued an enforcement alert urging water systems to take immediate action to protect the nation’s drinking water from foreign cyberattacks.
Cyberattacks against water utilities across the country are becoming more frequent and severe, the agency announced Monday.
EPA officials warn approximately 70 percent of utilities inspected by federal officials over the last year violated standards designed to mitigate cyber threats.
As nation-states including Russia and Iran have impacted water systems of all sizes, even smaller water systems are being urged to improve protection against cyber attacks.
Water systems typically rely heavily on computer software to operate treatment plants and distribution systems.
The cybersecurity waters are deficient, as those running the systems failed to change default passwords or bar system access to former employees, the EPA states in the alert.
The agency notes that a cyber attack on US water systems could result in damage to pumps and valves, interruptions to water treatment and storage, and alteration of chemical levels to hazardous amounts.
EPA Deputy Administer Janet McCabe blasted water providers for the lackadaisical upkeep of cyber integrity.
“In many cases, systems are not doing what they are supposed to be doing, which is to have completed a risk assessment of their vulnerabilities that includes cybersecurity and to make sure that plan is available and informing the way they do business,” McCabe said.
Individuals and groups have targeted water provider’s networks for ages, often attacking websites. Now, attackers are targeting utilities’ operations and governments are intent on draining the supply of safe water to homes and businesses.
China, Russia and Iran are “actively seeking the capability to disable US critical infrastructure, including water and wastewater,” McCabe continued. “We want to make sure that we get the word out to people that ‘Hey, we are finding a lot of problems here.'”
In January, a hack linked to a Russian “hacktivist” group caused a small Texas town’s water system to overflow.
“Cyber Av3ngers,” a group linked to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, targeted multiple organizations including a small Pennsylvania town’s water provider late last year. The attack forced the water provider to switch from a remote pump to manual operations. The hackers were targeting a device produced by Israel and used by the utility on the heels of the latest Israel, Hamas war.
An estimated 150,000 community water providers serve small towns and cities nationwide.
On Monday, the White House sent a letter to US governors, warning that “disabling” cyberattacks targeting water systems are underway nationwide. The White House and the EPA invited state officials to a meeting slated for Thursday to address how to improve digital defense for the thousands of utilities.
The EPA is also establishing a waste sector cybersecurity task force to outline strategies to defend against the threat.
The letter also charged the Chinese-sponsored hacking group Volt Typhoon with targeting critical infrastructure sectors like drinking water in the U.S. as an example of the threat.
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