‘Proactive measures’ taken by Fort Smith officials to protect water, sewer systems - Talk Business & Politics
The city of Fort Smith has taken “proactive measures” to protect the regional water supply from cyberattacks, but for cybersecurity reasons has declined to provide specifics about the actions. Water. . .
The city of Fort Smith has taken “proactive measures” to protect the regional water supply from cyberattacks, but for cybersecurity reasons has declined to provide specifics about the actions. Water and sewer systems in at least 12 states have in recent weeks reported a cyberattack. Several news reports indicate that water and sewer systems in at least 12 states have been disrupted to some extent by a cyberattack. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reports attacks by “malicious cyber actors” in seven states and are pointing the finger at Iran or proxy groups supported by Iran. According toSecurity Week, Minnesota reported more than 30 community systems were targeted, and Michigan officials said a few cities were targeted. “Operational effects reported to the FBI have included loss of pressure and flooding,” theFBI notedin a July 30 press release. “Pressure loss in water systems could potentially allow untreated ground water to seep into pipes. ”The FBI reported that cyberattacks have targeted “Operational Technology (OT) devices, including Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), specifically MicroLogix 1100 and 1400 series. ”An attack on the Fort Smith system would harm not just city residents, but potentially more than 150,000 water users in the Fort Smith metro who depend on the city’s water system. The city reports around 36,000 water users in Fort Smith. “Fort Smith Water Resources and Information Technology Departments are fully aware of the recent cybersecurity events at other water treatment facilities around the country,” noted a statement from Josh Buchfink, the city’s director of communications. “Fort Smith has taken proactive measures prior to these events and continues to monitor the water and wastewater systems to ensure the systems are secure and running properly. In the interest of maintaining the integrity of our systems and not compromising security protocols, I can’t provide any additional details. ”When asked if the city uses the systems and equipment identified by the FBI, James Gentry, the city’s chief information officer, also declined to provide details. “The City doesn’t divulge specific information regarding our critical infrastructure for obvious cybersecurity reasons and to maintain the integrity of our water & wastewater system,” he wrote in response. Following are some actions recommended by the FBI to protect against cyberattacks. • Disconnect programmable logic controllers (PLC) from the public-facing internet. • Ensure device passwords are complex with a unique combination of letters, numbers, and symbols that are not easily guessable. • Strictly control network access to PLC devices. • Place physical and software key switches into the run position to block unauthorized changes to logic, configuration, and firmware. • Practice and maintain the ability to manage operational technology systems manually. Related