Local water supply was not affected by cyber attack
Local water systems are safe and were not among those targeted in a cyber-attack last week, according to a spokesman from the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) which supplies water to local communities.
Despite news photos of the Plymouth, Minnesota water tower, the water in both the local Plymouth Township and city was not affected by the attempted sabotage, officials said in a prepared statement.
“The Great Lakes Water Authority is aware of reports regarding potential cyber threats targeting water systems and is closely monitoring the situation as it develops,” GLWA officials said in a statement. “At this time, GLWA’s water and wastewater systems continue to operate normally.”
The water authority provides water services to Belleville, Canton Township, Inkster, Northville city and township, Plymouth city and township, Van Buren and Sumpter townships and both Wayne and Westland. The communities individually manage local distribution of water to users.
While officials refused to identify the providers attacked, the Lansing system was reported by some news outlets as a possible target. In addition to Michigan, attacks were attempted on water suppliers in Minnesota. Federal officials said none of the attempts to disrupt the flow of water and sewer functions was successful and there was no impact on any of the targeted systems.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) issued a statement noting that the state first learned of the threat after receiving a federal cyber alert warning of attempts to tamper with operational technology at water systems.
“Following that notification, we received a small number of reports from Michigan communities indicating activity consistent with what federal agencies described,” EGLE officials said in a statement.
In at least one case, officials said, hackers changed passwords and network settings, locking operators out and preventing them from controlling water flow. Authorities have not officially named a suspect. However, U.S. intelligence and investigative officials view Iran as a primary suspect, according to news reports.
The incidents came days after federal agencies updated a warning about ongoing Iranian cyber threats targeting U.S. critical infrastructure, though investigators have not publicly linked the latest attacks to Tehran.
“Even water organizations with mature cybersecurity processes should validate their external connections,” the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said in an alert issued last week. It outlined several procedures, including adding extra layers of password security and disconnecting key systems from the internet.
Dale George, the director of communications for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, said in a statement Saturday that “all systems continued to operate safely.”
Federal and state agencies continue to investigate the perpetrator of the failed cyber-attacks.
