Old NSA Guy Says Keep Water Controllers Offline
With at least 12 American states’ water networks reportedly hacked – likely by Iran – it’s crucial to enhance our cyber defense capabilities, insists retired General and former NSA leader Paul Nakasone. He was speaking to journalists at DEF CON, you know. “We require stricter standards,” Nakasone believes. “These PLCs ought not to be hooked up to the darn internet.”
PLC Troubles: FBI Investigating
In late July, the FBI was looking into attacks by “malicious cyber actors” targeting operational technology, particularly programmable logic controllers (PLCs). It seems Iran has been focused on these devices, which monitor sensor data like tank levels and can control pumps, for some time. Some security experts from the private sector suspect Iranian hackers are behind the recent disturbances at water facilities. “I’d be shocked if it’s not Iran,” Halcyon Ransomware Research Center’s SVP Cynthia Kaiser told GadgetLad at DEF CON on Friday. “It’s practically a certainty that it’s Iran.” However, neither the FBI nor any officials from the Trump administration have officially blamed Iran. Yet Nakasone believes the authorities are “taking a careful stance” regarding accusations. “But I see a player here with a history of such activities,” he mentioned, referring to past Iranian actions against water facilities’ PLCs. “They certainly have the capability,” Nakasone remarked. “There’s intent … we’re in a struggle with Iran.”
Water Systems: Vulnerable to Trouble
US water systems are quite exposed, covering extensive areas with facilities that have been underfunded and sometimes lacking IT experts, with some having no dedicated cyber defenders at all. “We need to rethink how we protect it,” Nakasone expressed. “Let’s consider the attack surface we’re facing at present. We have 50,000 distinct water municipalities in the US, and 90 percent of our water is sourced from these 50,000.”
Advocating for Collaboration in Cyber Defense
Protecting these water systems requires collaboration, he emphasized, referencing DEF CON Franklin, a project launched two years ago at the annual event, where hackers donate their time and expertise to assist in securing water facilities. Nakasone is also serving as founding director of Vanderbilt University’s Institute of National Security, and its Wicked Problems Lab. He’s also involved in Project Chimera, a cybersecurity platform being developed by scholars and cyber experts, based on open-source technology to enhance the resilience of critical infrastructure. “How can we improve our defense? We need to defend alongside a group of allies, with a more engaged approach than we currently have,” Nakasone said.
Summary
Water Issues: The Ongoing Tale of Cyber Troubles
Goodness, our water systems are as porous as a net with 50,000 outlets pleading for a cyber upgrade. With Iran seemingly causing issues, it’s time to get our ducks in a row and prevent these PLCs from acting like Pac-Man online. Keep in mind, it’s not merely water – it’s H₂Oh no!
