Page 169 - Cyber Defense eMagazine June 2024

Tightening Water Cybersecurity is Now

Imperative as Biden Administration Issues

Urgent Warning to State Leaders

By Robin Berthier, Co-Founder & CEO, Network Perception

As the world grapples with escalating cyber threats, the Biden administration has sounded a clarion call
to state leaders: bolstering water cybersecurity is not just a priority but an urgent necessity. In March, the
Biden administration warned governors that US water and wastewater systems represent an “attractive
target” because of their essential nature and frequent lack of “resources and technical capacity to adopt
rigorous cybersecurity practices.”

This warning comes at a time when the vulnerabilities of the water sector to cyberattacks have become
increasingly apparent, highlighting the need for proactive measures to safeguard one of our most vital
resources. In April, American cybersecurity firm and Google subsidiary Mandiant reported that Russian
military intelligence hacking operation Sandworm has been linked to a string of recent attackers on water
utilities in the United States, including a water system in Texas.

The Biden administration's directive to state leaders emphasizes several key factors driving the
imperative for enhanced water cybersecurity

Cyber Defense eMagazine – June 2024 Edition 169
Copyright © 2024, Cyber Defense Magazine. All rights reserved worldwide.