Iranian-Backed Hackers Hit US Water Systems, Disabling Controls as 1 Lawmaker Pushes AI Defenses
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Aug 12
Iranian-Backed Hackers Hit US Water Systems, Disabling Controls as 1 Lawmaker Pushes AI Defenses
3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Aug 12
Summary
US water systems in multiple towns were hit in a recent cyber campaign that disabled monitoring and management tools used to track tank levels and pressure, officials said.
Iranian-backed hackers were linked to the attacks, and New Jersey officials said AI is making it easier for adversaries to target small and midsized municipalities.
Water service and safety were not disrupted because operators quickly switched to manual controls after detecting the intrusions.
Rep. Josh Gottheimer said he will introduce bipartisan legislation within weeks to give smaller towns free access to AI security models and urged federal incident-response teams to assist affected utilities.
Park Ridge officials said some critical valve systems are already kept off the internet, while a separate New Jersey state bill would help towns fund stronger water-system defenses.