Michigan says nine water systems reported cyberattack activity as FBI investigates

Nine Michigan water systems reported cyberattack-related activity after a July 22 federal warning about attempts to tamper with operational technology used in critical infrastructure. State officials said the systems continued operating safely and that no known impacts posed a public-health concern.

Dale George, communications director for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, said local operators addressed the issues. The FBI is investigating, but authorities have not publicly identified a perpetrator.

What happened in Michigan

The reports became public August 1, after Michigan received a federal alert about attempts to interfere with operational technology at water systems. George said the state first received a small number of reports from Michigan communities describing activity consistent with what federal agencies had outlined. He later said nine systems were affected.

“All systems continued to operate safely,” George said in a statement reported by The Associated Press. He said local operators addressed the issues and that there were no known impacts posing a public-health concern.

The public reporting does not identify the affected Michigan systems. It also does not establish a drinking-water contamination event or a broad service outage in the state.

What investigators know — and what they do not

The FBI said it was aware of public reporting about cyber activity involving water and wastewater systems and was working with interagency partners to protect critical infrastructure. The bureau has not publicly named a culprit.

A federal advisory updated July 22 described Iranian-affiliated cyber actors targeting internet-connected operational technology, including programmable logic controllers used in water and wastewater systems and other critical infrastructure. Those controllers can help monitor or control physical equipment.

That advisory provides national threat context, but it does not prove that Iranian-affiliated actors caused the incidents reported by Michigan systems. No public source in the available reporting confirms that connection, so the Michigan activity remains under investigation.

Why the reports matter statewide

Michigan’s community water supply program provides regulatory oversight for approximately 1,400 community public water supplies, according to EGLE. The nine reported systems are a limited portion of the systems under state oversight; the reports do not show that all Michigan water supplies were targeted.

Cyber incidents involving operational technology can create risks different from a conventional data breach because the systems help utilities monitor or manage physical processes. Federal agencies have warned that unauthorized changes can disrupt operations and create safety risks. In Michigan, however, the official statement available so far says the nine systems continued operating safely and that no known public-health concern resulted.

How Michigan utilities are responding

Michigan’s water-sector cybersecurity guidance says the Michigan Cyber Command Center coordinates cyber emergency response and works with EGLE, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the FBI and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

EGLE recommends that water utilities contact the Michigan Cyber Command Center as soon as a critical cyber incident is identified. The state also points utilities to cybersecurity assessments, technical assistance, training and safeguards such as multifactor authentication, security updates, network monitoring and offline backups. Utilities can contact the center at MC3@Michigan.gov or 877-MI-CYBER (877-642-9237).

The EPA says water systems can also obtain free cybersecurity assessments, technical assistance, tools and training, and should report suspicious or criminal activity through federal reporting channels.

What residents should watch for

Residents do not need to change water use based solely on the reports of cyber activity. If a water system requires boiling water, limiting use or taking another protective step, residents should follow instructions from their utility or local public-health officials.

The next significant developments are expected to come from the FBI investigation, additional information from Michigan officials or new advisories for water-system operators. For now, Michigan officials have reported that the nine systems continued operating safely and that no known public-health concern resulted from the reported activity.

Sources

Look for updates to this story

Discover more from Interactive News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.