Cyberterrorism experts agree that Tehran is targeting city water systems by hacking into computers, already striking several communities in the Midwest.
FBI officials in the Midwest tell the NBC Chicago investigative team that in the past week there has been an increase in cyberattacks on water and wastewater sector facilities through vulnerable technology in water systems.
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As of Monday, we now know of direct attacks in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Georgia, with experts telling us these are likely the first shots in a full-blown Iranian cyberattack on critical public utilities.
Iranian missiles are not capable of reaching the U.S., but Iran does have a weapon system capable of instantaneously covering the 6,500 miles to Chicago and the Midwest amid the increasing cyber attacks.
“I do think that folks should really view this as a national attack,” said Jake Braun, former deputy national cyber director in the Biden White House. “The attack that was executed against these water utilities went after a device that is pretty ubiquitous among water utilities.”
Braun is a former Homeland Security senior advisor and now oversees the Cyber Policy Initiative at University of Chicago.
“As we talk about ratcheting up pressure and attacks against the Iranians, they want to let us know that if push comes to shove, they can shut the water off here,” Brain said. “What they’re really trying to hammer home to the administration, the American people, is a couple different things. One is that it’s civilian water utilities that support nearly all of our military installations. And they’re letting us know they can shut the power off or shut the water off to the military installations also.”
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There have been numerous government warnings of water system attacks, including one in 2024 that cited the vulnerability of “97 drinking water systems serving approximately 26.6 million users as having either critical or high-risk cybersecurity vulnerabilities. “
One of the pieces of technology targeted by hackers is a programmable logic controller that signals valves and pumps to open and close, with such an attack potentially causing unsafe drinking water to flow into homes.
BRAUN: “This was a signal from the Iranians to the administration of the American people that they have the ability to do this.
GOUDIE: And the ability to do this, but is there also a carryover to the power grid directly from this? Is it just as easy to do that?
BRAUN: The power grid is slightly different, but I think we can expect more to come. Certainly the power grid and is quite vulnerable.”
Also vulnerable to Iranian hackers according to Braun: the upcoming elections. The motive would be payback for America’s near relentless attacks on Iran. Worse yet, such an attack wouldn’t have to be executed from Iran, Braun said.
It was a similar story 15 years ago he said when the U.S. cyberattacked Iranian nuclear program computers. Iran countered then by interrupting online banking for millions of Americans.
