Water Sector News
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US introduces new rules to protect water systems from hackers
The US Environmental Protection Agency on Friday announced new requirements for public water facilities to boost their cybersecurity while expressing concern that many facilities have failed to take basic steps to protect themselves from hackers.
The new EPA memo requires state governments to audit the cybersecurity practices of public water systems - and then use state regulatory authorities to force water systems to add security measures if existing ones are deemed insufficient.
"Cyberattacks that are targeting water systems pose a real and significant threat to our security," EPA Assistant Administrator Radhika Fox told reporters Thursday.
It's the latest move in a full-court press by the Biden administration to use its regulatory and policy powers to try to raise the cyber defenses of US critical infrastructure that is frequently targeted by cybercriminals and foreign government-backed hackers.