The American Water Works Association (AWWA) has released a guide that highlights how water utilities can manage the risk of cyber-attacks on water infrastructure systems. The free online guide, titled Cybersecurity Risk & Responsibility in the Water Sector, notes that, “Cyber risk is the top threat facing business and critical infrastructure in the United States, according to the Director of National Intelligence, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security.”
The guide highlights steps water utilities can take to protect water systems, operations, and customer data. “The reality and prevalence of cyber risk mandates that organizations and their leaders not only take meaningful action to prevent and detect harms, but also have a tested plan for responding swiftly and effectively when cyber incidents do occur,” said Kevin Morley, AWWA Federal Relations Manager. “Failing to address cybersecurity risk in a proactive way can have devastating results.”
America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, which was recently signed into law, requires community water systems serving a population of more than 3,300 persons to conduct a risk and resilience assessment of their systems. The requirement includes assessing the security of any electronic, computer, or other automated systems that the community water system uses.
Click here to access the AWWA’s Cybersecurity Risk & Responsibility in the Water Sector guide.