The Environmental Protection Agency has released an enforcement alert, calling on water systems to act immediately to protect the nation’s drinking water from foreign cyberattacks.
The agency announced on Monday that cyberattacks against water utilities nationwide are becoming more frequent and severe.
EPA officials warn that around 70 percent of utilities inspected by federal authorities over the past year have violated standards intended to reduce cyber threats.
With nation-states like Russia and Iran targeting water systems of all sizes, even smaller utilities are being urged to improve their cybersecurity measures.
Water systems typically depend heavily on computer software to manage treatment plants and distribution networks.
According to the EPA alert, cybersecurity measures are lacking, as system operators neglected to change default passwords or restrict system access for former employees.
The agency highlights that a cyberattack on US water systems could lead to damage to pumps and valves, disruptions in water treatment and storage, and changes in chemical levels to hazardous levels.
EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe criticized water providers for their lax maintenance of cybersecurity standards.
“In many cases, systems are not doing what they are supposed to be doing, which is to have completed a risk assessment of