Iranian hackers were “probably” behind a coordinated cyberattack this week on more than 30 municipal water systems in Minnesota, The New York Times reported Thursday.
As the war in Iran stretches into its sixth month, U.S. and state officials who spoke to the outlet on the condition of anonymity said investigators believe Iran was responsible because of the “tradecraft used” and the lack of a financial demand.
The Times noted that this is just a preliminary assessment and no final determination has been made on who was behind the attack that took place Sunday and Monday.
Minnesota IT Services said in a Tuesday press release that operational technology at more than 30 community water systems was targeted.
The agency said the Minnesota Department of Health was working with affected cities and was “not aware of any active requests from Minnesota cities to have their residents modify their drinking water usage.”
Minnesota IT Services did not identify any of the communities that were affected. However, cities such as Plymouth, Maple Plain, South St. Paul, and Braham independently reported being targeted in the attack.
All of the cities said the attack did not impact water quality or safety.
“This incident demonstrates why Minnesota has invested in strong cybersecurity capabilities and partnerships,” John Israel, Minnesota IT Services assistant commissioner, said in a statement. “Our response worked as intended, enabling agencies at every level of government to rapidly coordinate, contain the incident, and help prevent more serious impacts to critical services.”
However, Braham Mayor Nate George said the attack “should be a warning to policymakers in St. Paul.”
“Minnesota’s local governments are expected to defend essential systems against foreign adversaries and sophisticated criminals, often with limited staff, aging technology and inadequate resources,” said George, who is running for state auditor as a Republican.
“This is exactly why state government must spend taxpayers’ money on the things that matter, not political agenda action items,” he added.
Anthony Gockowski
Anthony Gockowski is Editor-in-Chief of Alpha News. He previously worked as an editor for The Minnesota Sun and Campus Reform, and wrote for the Daily Caller.
