By Nataly Vovk | Threat Intelligence Analyst

 Published on February 22nd, 2024

U.S. government agencies released a defensive strategy that water utilities should adopt to enhance the protection of their networks from cyberattacks.

Key Takeaways

• The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have unveiled a detailed strategy to improve the cybersecurity defenses of U.S. water utilities.
• An advisory has been released outlining eight fundamental actions for organizations within the U.S. Water and Wastewater Systems (WWS) sector to reduce cyberattack risks and bolster system security.
• All entities within the WWS sector and other critical infrastructure segments are strongly encouraged to review and implement the provided guidance to enhance their cyber resilience.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have released a comprehensive set of defense strategies aimed at enhancing the cybersecurity posture of U.S. water utilities. This initiative emphasizes the need for water and wastewater systems to adopt a series of key measures to safeguard against cyber threats.

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The released fact sheet highlights eight primary steps that organizations within the U.S. Water and Wastewater Systems (WWS) sector can undertake to minimize the risk of cyberattacks and fortify their systems against unauthorized access or harm. These steps are supplemented by a suite of free services, resources, and tools offered to support the implementation of these critical cybersecurity measures.

The agencies collectively encourage all entities within the WWS sector and other critical infrastructures to review this guidance and take proactive steps toward enhancing their cyber resilience.

Key actions outlined for securing water systems

1. Minimize Public Internet Exposure: Employ cyber hygiene services to limit key operational technology (OT) assets, like controllers and remote terminal units (RTUs), from being accessible via the public internet, reducing susceptibility to cyberattacks.
2. Regular Cybersecurity Evaluations: Perform frequent cybersecurity assessments to identify, assess, and prioritize vulnerabilities in OT and IT systems, enhancing defense mechanisms against potential threats.
3. Update Default Passwords Promptly: Ensure all system passwords are unique, intense, and complex to prevent unauthorized access, and where possible, implement multifactor authentication (MFA) to secure IT and OT systems further.
4. Inventory of OT/IT Assets: Conduct a detailed inventory of all software and hardware assets to determine protection needs, focusing on internet-connected devices and those critical for operations.
5. Cybersecurity Incident Response and Recovery Plan Development: Develop a comprehensive understanding of incident response procedures, roles, and responsibilities, and test these plans annually to ensure preparedness against cyber incidents.
6. Backup OT/IT Systems: Maintain regular backups of OT/IT systems and follow the NIST 3-2-1 backup rule to ensure quick recovery during a cyber incident.
7. Mitigate Vulnerability Exposure: Address known vulnerabilities promptly and keep systems updated with patches and security updates, prioritizing according to CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
8. Cybersecurity Awareness Training: Conduct annual training for all employees to emphasize the importance of cybersecurity and equip them with knowledge on preventing and responding to cyber incidents.