The Need to Secure Water and Wastewater Sector Entities
It is not uncommon for water and wastewater sector (WWS) entities to have poor cybersecurity posture. They often lack data backups, have weak passwords without multi-factor authentication, and IOT devices that monitor industrial equipment with public access. A lot of WWS entities also use third party login sites and use PCs that are not monitored or patched regularly. All of these things make WWS entities an easy target for cyberattacks. If your organization uses WWS entities, then you are just as susceptible to a cyberattack.
How it Affects Your Organization
If companies and municipalities use WWS entities, they must be cautious. A cyber-threat to a WWS entity can easily be traced back to its affiliates. Hackers can potentially find your data within the WWS entity and in turn get into your system. This is a weak point in security that most are unaware of. Companies and municipalities must take the proper steps to lock down access to WWS entities to mitigate this security risk.
Hackers can gain control of WWS entities through remote access. Actors can reverse the flow of water pumps, damaging pipes and infrastructure likely resulting in a temporary in-access to water. Reversing the flow of wastewater can cause more serious damage that one can only imagine how unfortunate and costly the end result would be. Since many municipality employees work at home, their networks often have vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. Organizations need to secure their remote access to prevent potential disasters. Consider devising a disaster recovery plan in the event of a mishap. It is important to know how to operate the pump if systems fail.
Current Security Recommendations
CISA, the EPA, and the FBI are working hard to get WWS entities to advance their cybersecurity. They put together a fact sheet of some simple, low-cost solutions to help improve cybersecurity posture such as changing all default passwords, conducting regular cybersecurity assessments, and implementing cybersecurity awareness training. CISA and the EPA plan to regularly update this fact sheet with new actions that support the WWS’s growing needs. While steps are being taken in the right direction for WWS entity cybersecurity, it is still important to be mindful of the potential weakness this may cause in your cybersecurity posture.
Assessing What You Should Do
It is wise to take steps to protect WWS entities from your data to air on the safe side. simpleroute can help your organization make a plan for tackling cybersecurity to make sure that your WWS entities are not a threat to you. We can also assist with network design to ensure there are no weak points. Give us a call at 802-881-0010 or email us at support@simpleroute.com for help with your cybersecurity.