Cyberattack on American Water Works: Security of Water Supply in Focus

American Water Works, a major water supplier for over 14 million people, has announced that hackers have breached their computer systems. To contain the cyberattack, various systems have already been disconnected or deactivated at the company's headquarters in New Jersey. The incident, discovered on October 3, is currently under extensive investigation to determine the scope and nature of the attack. The company assured in an official statement that the water supply and wastewater systems appear to be unaffected. However, the final assessment of the incident's impact remains unclear. In light of the growing threat of cyberattacks on the US water infrastructure, government agencies and security experts have already warned of similar attacks. Earlier this year, the US government accused Chinese hackers, operating under the name Volt Typhoon, of infiltrating water facilities. The Biden administration has also placed a strong emphasis on the cybersecurity of water systems, particularly concerning threats from China and Iran. According to American Water Works, they do not expect any significant financial impact from the cyberattack. Meanwhile, allegations have again been raised against hackers linked to China, who are said to have attacked the networks of critical US infrastructure. According to the Wall Street Journal, such attacks have also affected the networks of some US broadband providers.