On Saturday, August 1, in Michigan, USA, it was confirmed that nine water supply systems in the state had been targeted in a cyber attack. Currently, all systems are operating normally with no impact on water safety or public health. Prior to this incident, Minnesota also reported that more than 30 water supply systems in the state faced similar attacks, prompting the intervention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate the matter.
According to reports from the Associated Press, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy stated that on July 28, they received a federal cybersecurity alert warning of attempts to breach the Operational Technology (OT) equipment of water supply systems. Subsequently, local water authorities in the state began reporting abnormal activities matching the content of the federal alert.
Spokesperson Dale George from the department mentioned that a total of nine water supply systems were affected, but operational personnel across different areas promptly responded, ensuring the continued safe operation of all water supply systems, with no identified threats to public health.
The FBI released a statement on the same day acknowledging recent cyber attacks on water and wastewater treatment systems. They are collaborating with federal agencies such as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to protect critical infrastructure in the United States and address various cybersecurity threats.
As of now, the FBI has not disclosed the identity of the attackers nor confirmed whether the incidents were orchestrated by a specific nation or organization.
In a separate incident, Minnesota had previously reported over 30 water supply systems being targeted in cyber attacks. The state government explained that most of the attacks focused on the operational technology systems used for remote monitoring and control of water facilities. Intrusions into these systems by malicious activities do not automatically result in water supply disruptions in all affected areas.
For instance, in the city of Braham with a population of approximately 1,700, the water treatment plant briefly shut down and residents were urged to reduce water usage. Investigations revealed that hackers had shut down the control systems of the wells and water treatment plant, requiring the local area to rely on water stored in the water tower for several hours, although water quality remained unaffected.
Similarly, in Plymouth, a city on the outskirts of Minneapolis with a population of around 80,000, the communication system of the water infrastructure was restored to normal on the afternoon of July 28 following a cyber attack.
Just a week before this series of events, several federal agencies including the FBI and CISA jointly issued security advisories warning that hackers associated with Iran have been continuously targeting operational control systems of U.S. water and wastewater treatment systems, along with other critical infrastructure. However, law enforcement agencies have not attributed this particular incident to any specific organization or country.