Cyberattack on American Water Highlights Urgency of Infrastructure Security

A recent cyberattack on American Water, the largest regulated water and wastewater utility in the U.S., has renewed attention on the vulnerability of critical infrastructure. The New Jersey-based company, serving over 14 million people across 14 states and multiple military installations, detected unauthorized activity and swiftly implemented protective measures, including pausing customer billing. Although water services remain unaffected, the company continues to investigate the scope of the breach.

The attack, which appears to have targeted IT systems rather than operational functions, underscores growing concerns about the security of public utilities. Jack Danahy of NuHarbor Security emphasized that previously overlooked infrastructure, such as water services, has become vulnerable as more systems move online. Federal agencies like the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have called for immediate action, noting that many water systems are falling short of cybersecurity standards.

As the investigation continues, the incident serves as a reminder of the urgent need to safeguard the nation’s water infrastructure against future cyber threats.