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 1. Cybersecurity


DROWNING IN DANGER: THE VULNERABILITY OF WATER TREATMENT FACILITIES

Despite investments in areas like endpoint and perimeter security, breaches
continue to occur.

Trevor Dearing
Dec 12, 2024
iStock.com/Tuachanwatthana

In 2021, a cyberattacker tried to poison a Florida city's water supply by
remotely accessing internal systems and tampering with levels of lye at the
local water treatment facility. Thankfully, that attempt failed, but it was
hardly an isolated incident. Earlier this year, hackers targeted plants in
Tipton, Indiana and Aliquippa, Pennsylvania with ransomware. Last month, a
hacker exploited unpatched software vulnerabilities to disrupt customer service
and billing systems at American Water Works, the largest water and wastewater
utility company in the U.S.  

Despite significant investments in preventative measures like endpoint and
perimeter security solutions, breaches continue to occur. To achieve cyber
resilience, water treatment facilities must expand their focus and find ways to
limit the impact of a successful breach so that catastrophic outcomes are
avoided.


BEHIND THE RISE IN WATER TREATMENT FACILITY HACKS

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an enforcement alert earlier
this year, indicating that 70 percent of the water systems exhibited "alarming
cybersecurity vulnerabilities" such as outdated default passwords and insecure
single login configurations. This report is especially concerning given that bad
actors frequently use AI-powered technology to make their attacks difficult to
detect.

Once an attacker penetrates a facility’s network, they may wait undetected for
weeks, sometimes months. Meanwhile, these so-called “sleeper cells” will perform
reconnaissance looking for vulnerabilities to exploit across the attack surface.
The longer attackers remain undetected, the more damage they can do.

Because it is no longer if an attack will happen but when, prevention and
detection tools alone are no longer enough. The ability to quickly discover a
breach and contain an attack is key to ensuring a breach doesn’t become a cyber
disaster. Fortunately, there are several steps security teams can take to
mitigate the impact of an inevitable breach starting with complete, end-to-end
visibility into their environment. This insight is critical to understand where
risk lies therefore, what must be secured. 

Next, implement a Zero Trust security model – a cybersecurity framework that
operates on the principal of “never trust, always verify” – to continuously
verify the identity and legitimacy of users and devices trying to access
critical assets. Because there will never be a “one-size-fits-all" solution for
Zero Trust in critical infrastructure, organizations must tailor their zero
trust strategies and implementation plans to the specific needs and
vulnerabilities of their operations.

By aligning efforts with organizational objectives, identifying critical risk
areas, and prioritizing security around the most vital data sets, systems, and
operations, meaningful progress can be made. Zero Trust technologies, including
foundational tools like segmentation, will help agencies proactively prepare for
breaches. Microsegmentation is key as it contains breaches by isolating critical
systems which prevents attackers from spreading or moving laterally in data
centers, clouds, and networks. 

Regular security audits and risk assessments enable ongoing identification of
vulnerabilities and help determine prioritization of investments in resources
and personnel. As the EPA discovered, employees can either be a strength or a
vulnerability. Don’t wait for an audit to reveal outdated default passwords,
insecure single login configurations, and other risky behaviors. Regularly
educate employees about cybersecurity threats and best practices, not just when
onboarding new hires. 

As the old saying goes, “practice makes perfect.” Develop and regularly update
incident response plans to prepare for various attack types, including data
breaches and ransomware, allowing for quick restoration of operations. 

Continuous monitoring with advanced tools enables real-time detection of unusual
activity while investing in AI and machine learning, which enhances threat
detection capabilities. Finally, collaborating with industry peers and
government agencies for information sharing strengthens overall resilience
against cyber threats. 

Water treatment facilities can significantly decrease their chances of suffering
a data breach or falling victim to ransomware by implementing Zero Trust
architecture, regular risk assessments, employee training, and incident response
planning. Failing to act on these strategies increases the risk of financial
loss and poses severe threats to public safety and trust in essential services. 

Prioritizing cybersecurity is not just about protecting systems, it is about
ensuring public safety and maintaining trust in the essential services that
communities rely on. As threats evolve, so must the strategies employed to
safeguard our critical water infrastructure. This requires focusing on
preparedness, flexibility, and rapid recovery. Collaborating on safeguarding
this critical infrastructure and protecting water supplies from both cyber and
operational risks is a collective responsibility among government agencies,
utility operators and industry peers.


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