Pro-Iran hackers allegedly hit a system near Pittsburgh, causing it to replace its Israeli-made equipment as a precaution. Meanwhile, another group hit a system in North Texas and caused operational issues.
Two recent hacks on water systems by cyber gangs that sympathize with foreign, hostile governments show the ongoing vulnerability of critical infrastructure.
The Municipal Water Authority of Aliquippa in Pennsylvania was attacked on the Friday night after Thanksgiving. The hackers breached the system that it uses to manage water pressure and left a message on the affected device that equipment made in Israel is “a legal target” given the country’s ongoing war with Hamas.
The utility’s General Manager Robert Bible said it turned off the impacted equipment and operated one of its water pump stations in manual mode. Bible said the authority, which has about 15,000 customers, would replace the affected equipment to be safe.
Route Fifty
By Chris Teale,
Staff Reporter, Route Fifty
DECEMBER 5, 2023