Security News > 2023 > November > Uncle Sam probes cyberattack on Pennsylvania water system by suspected Iranian crew

CISA is investigating a cyberattack against a Pennsylvania water authority by suspected Iranian miscreants.

The water authority immediately took the system offline, switching to manual operations after the intrusion, which didn't affect the region's drinking water or water supply.

"It's a pain," Robert J. Bible, the water authority's general manager, told CNN. "Somebody's got to wake up at three in the morning and go turn on or turn off those pump stations. It's just a big inconvenience until we can get the system back up and running."

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said it's probing the cyberattack, and urged utilities to harden the security around their PLCs. In the context of water supply infrastructure, these devices are used to control and monitor water and wastewater treatment processes, including controlling the pumps to fill tanks and reservoirs, the distribution of flow pacing chemicals, and sounding of alarms about operational threats.

Speaking of which: another water authority - this one in Texas - is in the process of fixing its IT systems after ransomware crew Daixin Team claimed to have broken into its network and stolen sensitive information.

The North Texas Municipal Water District, which provides services to more than two million customers, "Recently detected a cybersecurity incident affecting our business computer network," spokesperson Alex Johnson told The Register.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2023/11/29/water_authority_ciso_iran/