Hackers target water and wastewater utilities, threatening water supplies" title="Hackers target water and wastewater utilities, threatening water supplies" />

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a warning Tuesday evening about hackers targeting industrial control systems widely used by water and wastewater treatment companies, which represent a potential threat to the water supply. This warning comes after a recent incident in Pennsylvania where a water authority was hacked, causing a shutdown of equipment responsible for regulating water pressure.

The attack on the Aliquippa Municipal Water Authority in Pennsylvania, located outside of Pittsburgh, highlights vulnerabilities in cybersecurity measures, including weak password security and Internet exposure. While there is currently no known risk to the drinking water or water supply of affected Pennsylvania cities, CISA is urging U.S. water and wastewater utilities to take immediate action to protect their facilities.

The vulnerable equipment, manufactured by Israel-based Unitronics, is used in a variety of industries, including power companies, oil and gas producers and water treatment plants. It regulates critical processes such as pressure, temperature and fluid flow. Unitronics did not quickly respond to inquiries about other potentially hacked or vulnerable installations.

The Biden administration has been actively working to improve cybersecurity measures on America's critical infrastructure, which is predominantly privately owned. Regulations have been imposed on sectors such as electric utilities, gas pipelines and nuclear facilities. However, many experts argue that vital industries are still allowed to self-regulate, and administration officials are calling on software vendors to take greater responsibility for security.

This incident highlights the urgent need for strong cybersecurity measures to safeguard public water and wastewater treatment services from potential attacks that could disrupt essential services and affect public health and safety.

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