A recent cyberattack on a small Texas town’s water system has been linked to a shadowy Russian hacktivist group, highlighting the vulnerability of U.S. public utilities to foreign cyber threats. The attack, which occurred in January, was one of three targeting rural towns in the Texas Panhandle. Fortunately, no harm came to the public as officials were able to detect and respond to the attempted hacks in a timely manner. The incidents were reported to federal authorities as a precautionary measure.
In the town of Hale Center, city manager Mike Cypert reported over 37,000 attempts in four days to breach the city’s firewall. Fortunately, the hack was unsuccessful as the city quickly disconnected the system and operated it manually. A similar incident occurred in Muleshoe, where hackers caused the water system to overflow before officials intervened and shut down the system. Both city managers emphasized that the public was not endangered during the attacks and that the water supply remained safe.
The cyberattack has been attributed to a Russian hacktivist group known as CyberArmyofRussia_Reborn, which has been linked to previous attacks on water facilities in the United States and Poland. Some cybersecurity experts suspect the group may have ties to the Russian military. The city managers of the targeted towns have notified the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security about the incidents, although both agencies have refrained from commenting publicly on the matter.
The attempted hacks on the Texas towns are part of a broader trend of cyberattacks targeting U.S. public utilities. Last year, Iranian state groups were implicated in similar attacks on water facilities using Israeli equipment. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger warned that such attacks should serve as a wake-up call for utilities and industries to enhance their cybersecurity measures. In response, the Environmental Protection Agency and the White House urged governors to assess their water supply systems’ cybersecurity and prepare for potential cyber threats.
The incidents in Texas underscore the importance of safeguarding critical infrastructure, such as water systems, from cyber threats. While the recent attacks did not cause any major disruptions, they highlight the vulnerability of public utilities to foreign cyber actors. As the U.S. grapples with increasing cyber threats from state-sponsored groups, there is a growing need for enhanced cybersecurity measures to protect essential services and infrastructure. The cooperation between local authorities, federal agencies, and cybersecurity firms is essential in detecting and responding to cyber threats effectively.
