Tag: operational technology
138 articles
FBI, EPA Warn Water Sector of Rising Cyberattacks
Water and wastewater utilities in at least seven states have come under cyberattack, with internet-facing programmable logic controllers (PLCs) compromised, causing operations disruptions, pressure loss, and flooding. The FBI and EPA have sounded the alarm, warning of the growing threat to the water sector.
Rockwell PLCs Exposed in Water Utilities Hit by Cyberattacks
A recent scan revealed 4,407 Rockwell Automation programmable logic controllers (PLCs) exposed to the public internet, including 2,844 in the United States, leaving critical water utilities vulnerable to cyberattacks. Many of these exposed PLCs are concentrated in areas that have already reported recent cyber incidents, raising serious security concerns.
Senate Intel Chair Urges Treasury to Bolster OT Security with Tax Code Tweaks
The US is under attack, with recent breaches hitting community water systems in Minnesota and Iran-backed threats targeting critical infrastructure, prompting Sen. Tom Cotton to urge the Treasury Department to take action. He’s calling on Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to use tax code tweaks to boost investment in operational technology security.
CISA Warns of Targeted Cyberattacks on US Water Utilities
CISA is sounding the alarm: if your water utility's programmable logic controllers are exposed to the internet, you're a prime target for cyberattacks - so take action now and remove them from public exposure to safeguard your operations.
Iran-linked CyberAv3ngers targets US water systems
A coordinated cyberattack recently hit over 30 community water systems in Minnesota, prompting a swift response from state officials to ensure public health and safety. The Minnesota Department of Health is working closely with affected facilities to mitigate the impact and prevent any disruptions to drinking water supplies.
US, Australia Urge Critical Infrastructure to Isolate Vital Systems During Cyberattacks
Stay ahead of cyber threats: the US and Australia are urging critical infrastructure operators to isolate vital systems during cyberattacks to minimize damage and protect essential services. A new advisory provides practical guidance on how to plan for and execute a safe disconnection from vulnerable networks.
Iranian Hackers Expand Target Scope in US Industrial Control Systems
US cybersecurity authorities have issued a critical warning: Iranian hackers are now targeting a wider range of industrial control systems, including those from Schneider Electric and Siemens, beyond their previously known focus on Rockwell Automation/Allen-Bradley devices. This expanded threat alert urges companies to bolster their defenses against increasingly aggressive and opportunistic cyber attacks.
Cloud Tenants Can Disrupt Power Grids With GPU Workloads
Researchers at Zhejiang University have made a startling discovery: ordinary GPU workloads in the cloud can be manipulated to disrupt power grids, and they've backed it up with measurements and simulations. By exploiting the link between a GPU's power draw and its computing activity, malicious cloud tenants can unwittingly - or intentionally - cause power grid instability.
Siemens ROX II Zero-Days Expose Critical Infrastructure Risks
Our research team, in close collaboration with Siemens, uncovered a critical vulnerability chain of three zero-day exploits in Siemens ROX II operational-technology switches, posing significant risks to critical infrastructure security. This chained exploit could allow attackers to escalate from basic reconnaissance to full root-level control.
Pentagon CIO Ramps Up Cybersecurity, Tech Modernization for Warfighters
The Pentagon's CIO is turbocharging cybersecurity and tech modernization to empower warfighters, with a focus on four key pillars to drive transformation. This initiative has already seen rapid adoption, with 1.3 million users on board with GenAI.mil.
Malicious Activity on Industrial Systems Declines to 3-Year Low
Malicious activity on industrial systems has hit a 3-year low, with only 19.6% of ICS computers encountering malicious objects in Q1 2026 - a significant drop of 1.4 times from Q2 2023. However, beneath the calm surface, localized spikes of threats persist, warranting close attention.
Accenture Bolsters Industrial Cybersecurity with $4.18B Acquisition Spree
As Robert M. Lee aptly puts it, our critical infrastructure, from energy and water systems to manufacturing plants, is crying out for robust cybersecurity that can stay one step ahead of evolving threats - and failing to deliver it could have disastrous societal consequences. Accenture is answering the call with a whopping $4.18 billion investment to bolster industrial cybersecurity.
Experts Cast Doubt on Handala's US Water Hacking Claims
Experts are debunking Handala's claims of being able to shut off water in US cities, with no evidence to back up the group's bold assertions. According to Sean Malone, Chief Information Security Officer at BeyondTrust, the breach appears to be limited to non-critical systems, with no impact on water treatment or distribution.
Operational Technology Cybersecurity Gaps Persist Despite Growing Maturity
Many industrial organizations are bolstering their operational technology security, but a significant gap remains: 23% of respondents only have visibility into half of their OT environment. This blind spot leaves them vulnerable to ransomware, nation-state actors, and other cyber threats.
US Gas Station Tank Gauge Systems Vulnerable to Ongoing Attacks
US gas stations are under cyberattack, with hackers exploiting vulnerable tank gauge systems to gain control and wreak havoc. A joint advisory from top US agencies is urging critical infrastructure organizations to secure their internet-exposed systems ASAP.
Hackers Target Fuel Tank Monitoring Systems with Cyberattacks
Cyber attackers are launching targeted strikes on internet-exposed fuel tank monitoring systems, allowing them to modify and manipulate critical infrastructure. These compromised systems, known as automatic tank gauges, remotely track fuel levels, temperatures, and leaks, making them a prime target for malicious actors.
AI Tools Facilitate but Fail to Deliver in Water System Hack Attempt
In a recent cyber attack on nine Mexican government entities, hackers surprisingly used AI tools like Claude and Chat GPT to help breach the systems, but ultimately failed to cause significant harm. The attack, which included a January intrusion into a municipal water and sewage utility, revealed that while AI can facilitate malicious activity, it can't guarantee success.
Dragos Warns of AI-Powered Cyber-Attack on Mexican Water Utility
A recent cyber attack on a Mexican water utility highlights the growing threat of AI-powered attacks, with commercial AI tools used to identify and breach operational technology infrastructure. The attack, detected by Dragos, shows how easily an adversary can target critical infrastructure with the help of advanced AI tools.
CISA Launches Framework to Fortify Critical Infrastructure Against Cyber-Attacks
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has launched CI Fortify, a vital planning framework designed to shield critical infrastructure sectors like water, energy, and transportation from devastating cyber-attacks. This timely guidance helps organizations safeguard their networks and essential services from threat actors seeking to disrupt and degrade infrastructure.
CISA's Zero Trust Guidance Falls Short on Cost, Implementation Details
While CISA's new zero trust guidance for operational technology is a step in the right direction, it leaves critical questions unanswered - namely, who foots the bill and how do organizations actually implement it? The guidance gets high marks for technical thinking, but falls short on practical details like funding, timelines, and automation.
Researchers Uncover Fast16 Malware's Stealthy Industrial Sabotage Role
Researchers have uncovered a highly sophisticated malware, Fast16, designed to secretly sabotage industrial operations by subtly manipulating critical calculations, leading to potentially catastrophic failures. This stealthy threat can silently spread across networks, altering results in high-precision applications and causing damage to real-world equipment.
US Agencies Issue Zero Trust Guidance for OT Security
US government agencies have just released a game-changing guide to help protect critical infrastructure systems with practical, layered security strategies. The new zero-trust guidance provides a tailored approach for operational technology environments, balancing safety and uptime needs with robust security measures.
CISA Warns of Data Theft Bug in NSA-Built OT Networking Tool
A critical vulnerability, CVE-2026-6807, has been discovered in an NSA-built networking tool that could allow hackers to steal sensitive information by exploiting an XML parsing weakness. If left unpatched, this flaw could lead to devastating data breaches.
Frontier AI Labs Cut Off OT Sector from Cyber Vulnerability Tools
A concerning gap in cybersecurity support has emerged, as operational technology companies are being left out of access to cutting-edge AI models from Anthropic and OpenAI, despite being crucial to the sector. This exclusion raises significant questions about the vulnerability of these organizations to cyber threats.