Dozens Of Water Systems In Minnesota Subject To Cyber Incidents

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(MINNEAPOLIS, MN.) – State, local, and federal agencies are working together after a malicious cyber event that affected 30+ water systems in Minnesota early this week. Minnesota IT Services notes that most cases involved remote monitoring and control of programmable logic controllers and human-machine interfaces. 

Not all affected communities lost access to water, but investigators did find evidence of tampering in each water system. Area residents were informed there was no reason to change drinking or water use at this time, as there is no evidence the water itself was tampered with.

State agencies began assisting directly with all impacted water systems to mitigate the threat, determine potential impacts, and restore operations. Minnesota activated cyber response resources immediately after discovering the issue. The timing and technology involved indicated that the incidents originate from the same source, but Minnesota isn’t releasing specific details for any of the systems due to the ongoing investigation. 

Federal investigators are still looking into a possible link to Iranian hackers but have not reached a final decision, as all the evidence in the attacks is still under analysis. Investigators are also looking into the possibility that the cyberattackers responsible are only posing as Iranian hackers to throw off the investigation. 

Minnesota is far from the only state affected by water system attacks. According to the FBI, at least seven states have experienced cyberattacks on water system infrastructure. Only Minnesota and Wisconsin have been specifically identified; the other states have been kept confidential to protect federal authorities' ongoing recovery/security operations and infrastructure assessments.

Despite attacks in multiple states, President Donald Trump placed the responsibility on Minnesota’s ‘gross incompetence’, openly criticizing Governor Tim Walz and completely dismissing the possibility of Iran being behind the attacks. Walz doubled down, responding that Trump knew who was responsible and noted the attacks in several other states.¹ 

To add to or correct any information in this report, please contact me at kristin.h@lead4earth.org. 

¹ During research for this article, no proof was found to back the claim that responsibility for the attacks in Minnesota rests on Walz, nor any evidence that Trump knew who caused the attacks.