Recent investigations by Recorded Future News have uncovered five cyberattacks targeting UK drinking water systems since January 2024. While these attacks did not disrupt water supplies, they signal a troubling trend in vulnerabilities affecting critical infrastructure. The UK’s Drinking Water Inspectorate confirmed these incidents through freedom of information requests, illustrating a growing concern over digital intrusions in essential services.
Past incidents include the Clop ransomware attack on South Staffordshire Water in August 2022 and a politically motivated disruption by the Cyber Av2ngers group in Ireland in late 2023. Similar threats have arisen in other countries, such as a significant attack linked to a Chinese state-sponsored group that infiltrated a US water facility for months. The increase in these attacks underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity measures to protect essential resources like drinking water.
Legislative changes may be on the horizon with the proposed Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which could mandate more stringent reporting of cyber incidents affecting water supplies. As climate pressures such as droughts compound existing vulnerabilities, the resilience of water infrastructure against cyber threats remains a critical concern for the UK government and public safety.
👉 Pročitaj original: Malware Bytes
