Earlier today, EPA Administrator Michael Regan and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan sent a letter to all U.S. Governors inviting state environmental, health and homeland security Secretaries to a convening by their deputies to discuss the urgent need to safeguard water sector critical infrastructure against cyber threats. This meeting will highlight current federal and state efforts to promote cybersecurity practices in the water sector, discuss priority gaps in these efforts, and emphasize the need for states and water systems to take immediate action.
The letter states, “Disabling cyberattacks are striking water and wastewater systems throughout the United States. These attacks have the potential to disrupt the critical lifeline of clean and safe drinking water, as well as impose significant costs on affected communities. We are writing to describe the nature of these threats and request your partnership on important actions to secure water systems against the increasing risks from and consequences of these attacks.”
The message further notes that two recent and ongoing threats illustrate the risk that cyber attacks pose to the nation’s water systems. Particularly, the recent attacks on Unitronics PLCs by Iranian-affiliated threat actors and the ongoing malicious activity associated with the China state-sponsored threat actor Volt Typhoon.
This virtual meeting will take place on Thursday, March 21, 2023, from 12:30pm – 2:00 pm EST. EPA will be sending meeting registration information to the states separately via email.
“Drinking water and wastewater systems are a lifeline for communities, but many systems have not adopted important cybersecurity practices to thwart potential cyberattacks,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “EPA and NSC take these threats very seriously and will continue to partner with state environmental, health, and homeland security leaders to address the pervasive and challenging risk of cyberattacks on water systems.”
These collaborative efforts will result in advances that will better protect the nation’s critical water infrastructure from cyberattacks. For information about EPA’s cybersecurity program or details about the upcoming meeting please visit EPA’s Cybersecurity for the Water Sector website.
