Iran is top suspect for cyberattacks on US water systems — NYT

Iran is the top suspect for a series of cyberattacks that targeted water systems in at least seven US states this week, The New York Times reports, citing federal officials.

Authorities have not yet publicly identified the source of cyberattacks targeting over 30 water systems in Minnesota on Sunday and Monday. Michigan has also reported attacks.

However, the attacks came as security authorities have warned that Iranian hackers have been focused on targeting such systems. The FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and other agencies said in an advisory last week that Iranian hackers have been targeting water and wastewater systems and the operational controls of other critical infrastructure sectors.

An initial investigation is still underway, and authorities have not determined who was responsible, but federal officials privately said that Iran is the top suspect, according to The New York Times.

In an interview cited by the report, Braham Mayor Nate George says the FBI is “pretty sure it’s Iranian actors” but is hesitant to say so publicly.

The Wired news magazine also obtained a memo by cyber experts saying that the attacks were in the style of those conducted by Iran-linked hackers.

For his part, US President Donald Trump claimed without evidence that recent cyberattacks in Minnesota were the fault of the state, including Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.