Amid rising tensions in the Middle East due to the ongoing Israeli war against Gaza, the United States has begun to worry about potential "Iranian" cyberattacks. The Biden administration has warned that Iran is preparing to attack the country's drinking water supplies. Jake Sullivan, President Biden's National Security Advisor, sent a warning to state governors urging them to be cautious of potential cyberattacks on their critical infrastructure systems. This warning letter was co-authored by Michael Regan, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to Bloomberg.
They explained that drinking water and sewage systems are seen as an "attractive target" for hackers, as they are considered a vital "lifeline," and states often lack the necessary resources and technical capabilities to defend against them. They emphasized that each state needs to conduct an assessment of its "current cybersecurity" to identify any vulnerabilities. They also urged the need for recovery plans in case of any potential cyberattack.
The officials warned that cyber threats from hackers associated with the Iranian and Chinese governments are ongoing, recalling that these actors have previously targeted water networks in the country. Furthermore, they cautioned that such cyberattacks could disrupt water systems and sewage networks throughout the United States. This message came after Washington recently announced that several individuals linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard had carried out cyberattacks against vital infrastructure in the country, including drinking water systems. The "hackers" managed to target and disrupt a common type of operational technology used in various water facilities after failing to change the default password.
