The U.S. government’s cybersecurity agencies are warning that hackers are actively targeting Siemens devices used in critical infrastructure, as part of a broader wave of cyberattacks on water systems across the country.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the FBI, and the National Security Agency (NSA) said on Wednesday that attackers are targeting “all” Siemens S7 programmable logic controllers. These devices are used to control automated physical processes in energy, water systems, manufacturing, and agriculture.

What the Attacks Involve

CISA said the attacks are part of broader activity targeting water supply and wastewater systems around the United States. The disruption could result in downtime, safety incidents, or equipment damage to critical infrastructure that relies on these devices.

The agencies said the hackers are using AI to generate exploit scripts that rely on publicly available information to find and exploit vulnerable programmable logic controllers that are running out-of-date software or are otherwise poorly secured.

An incident response professional who works with critical infrastructure told TechCrunch that it was noteworthy that the hackers are using AI to identify and target vulnerable programmable logic controllers, as well as to understand how these devices work. He cautioned that these devices are already highly vulnerable to begin with.

Impact on Water Systems and Residents

CISA has long warned owners of critical infrastructure to keep these devices disconnected from the internet. Officials have acknowledged that rural communities are often the most affected because these systems service large geographic areas. For residents, this means potential disruptions to water supply and wastewater services, which could lead to safety incidents or equipment damage.

This is the latest warning from CISA following a series of cyberattacks by suspected Iranian hackers targeting U.S. water suppliers and wastewater providers in recent months. CISA said the attacks have escalated since Iranian hackers first targeted internet-connected systems used in critical infrastructure.

Officials across the U.S. have reported intrusions at water facilities in Minnesota and Michigan, as well as Arkansas, Georgia, and New Jersey.

#Cybersecurity, #CISA, #Siemens, #WaterSystems, #CriticalInfrastructure