Updated
Updated · WPVI-TV · Aug 7
Iran Suspected in 2 Cape May Water Hacks as New Jersey Tightens Controls
Updated
Updated · WPVI-TV · Aug 7

Iran Suspected in 2 Cape May Water Hacks as New Jersey Tightens Controls

3 articles · Updated · WPVI-TV · Aug 7

Summary

  • Cape May County said hackers hit the water departments in Cape May City and Woodbine last week, but service continued and officials reported no impact on drinking-water safety.
  • A 1:30 a.m. alert on July 27 triggered the response; staff arrived within an hour, and Mayor Zach Mullock said limited automation and offline systems helped prevent wider damage.
  • County officials said no customer or personal data was compromised, and the affected systems have since been secured with strengthened access controls.
  • The FBI, CISA and New Jersey's cybersecurity unit are investigating, with Iran the prime suspect, though authorities are also weighing whether another state actor copied Iranian tactics.
  • The incident fits a broader July campaign against U.S. water utilities in nearly a dozen states, where vulnerable industrial controllers have been exploited to disrupt monitoring and pressure control.

Insights

Are the internet-connected systems running your local tap water leaving your city vulnerable to a catastrophic remote cyberattack?
Could the recent water outage in Clayton County be the start of a nationwide cyber takedown of critical utility infrastructure?