From Fortune:

The Aliquippa water authority in western Pennsylvania, a small utility that serves around 22,000 people, was a victim of a cyberattack in the form of Iranian hackers targeting Israeli-made equipment. This has prompted new warnings from U.S. security officials about the vulnerability of water utilities to such attacks, and the need to strengthen defenses against potential cyber threats. In response, a handful of states have implemented legislation to increase scrutiny of cybersecurity in water utilities, while the federal government has proposed a new rule to require states to audit such systems. But this has been met with resistance, with three states suing the EPA over the proposed rule and ultimately leading to its withdrawal. With states in the midst of applying for cybersecurity grants from a $1 billion federal program, water utilities are also competing with other entities for access to this funding. Meanwhile, private water companies and public water authorities are at odds over legislative proposals, with the former arguing for stricter regulatory standards to instill public confidence in tap water, and the latter resisting such efforts, accusing them of being a backdoor to privatization and creating financial burden. Efforts to bolster cybersecurity are hampered by underfunding, particularly in smaller and rural water systems, which are struggling to keep up with aging infrastructure and costs associated with clean water regulations. Pennsylvania state Rep. Rob Matzie is working on legislation to create a funding stream for water and electric utilities to pay for cybersecurity upgrades, but critics say that solutions like these are not enough and that more robust, long-term solutions are necessary to ensure safe and secure water infrastructure.



Read more: Aliquippa water authority in Pennsylvania hit by Iranian cyberattack