The Environmental Protection Agency and the National Security Council are calling on countries to remain vigilant against cyber threats targeting water infrastructure, according to a letter released Tuesday.
The letter from EPA Administrator Michael Regan and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to state governors says hackers with ties to China and the Revolutionary Guards are still trying to purify water and supply it to local communities. It warns that it poses a threat to the water department system that distributes water.
The report notes that “drinking water and wastewater systems are critical infrastructure sectors of lifelines and therefore attractive targets for cyber-attacks, but they do not have the resources or technical capacity to implement rigorous cybersecurity practices. “They often lack security,” he said, calling on state governments to “comprehensively assess their current cybersecurity practices to identify critical vulnerabilities and implement other safeguards to thwart hackers.” To do.
The Treasury Department sanctioned Iranian cyber operatives in early February for helping a Tehran-backed hacker group infiltrate programmable logic controllers used in water treatment in multiple countries late last year, and authorities have eased the sanctions. A recommendation was issued.
The letter also accuses Bolt Typhoon, a hacker group linked to the Chinese government, of secretly infiltrating critical U.S. infrastructure. A senior NSA official said Friday that the United States is working to identify victims targeted by the group.
The Biden administration is pushing to better protect water treatment facilities from cyber threats, and researchers say they are at greater risk of hacking. But in October, the EPA rescinded a memorandum directing providers to assess water systems' cyber defenses when conducting sanitary inspections after facing legal pushback from Republican-led states and industry groups.
A group of representatives from water industry associations testified before a House committee earlier this year to advocate for a measure to give water utilities more federal funding for training and other resources needed to protect their infrastructure. He asked Congress to do so.
The letter says the administration will invite state secretaries of environment, health, and homeland security to participate in discussions about protecting America's water sector. We also encourage them to work with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to develop defenses.
