US officials are investigating whether Iran-linked hackers were behind a coordinated cyberattack that targeted more than 30 community water systems in Minnesota
this week, according to a report by The New York Times. However, officials say the assessment remains preliminary, and no final determination has been made about who was responsible. The report said US officials suspect hackers affiliated with Iran may have carried out the attacks, though investigators have not confirmed the identity of those behind the cyber campaign. Officials also said it is possible the attacks were conducted by someone posing as Iranian hackers in an attempt to increase tensions between the two countries, although experts told The New York Times such a scenario was unlikely.
Cyberattack Targeted About 36 Minnesota Water Systems
State officials said technology used by about 36 community water systems across Minnesota was targeted in the coordinated cyberattack. Authorities are working with federal agencies and private-sector companies to investigate the incident and secure affected systems.
State officials have deferred questions about the possible perpetrators to federal investigators, saying they are best positioned to assess who was behind the attacks. They also declined to speculate on the matter.
Several cities publicly disclosed the attacks earlier this week, including Plymouth, South St. Paul, Maple Plain, and Braham. Local officials said the disruptions were either minimal or successfully mitigated.
On Wednesday, Plymouth announced that communications with its water facilities had been fully restored and normal operations had resumed. Maple Plain also ended the local emergency it had declared, saying services had stabilized.
As of Tuesday, state officials said they were not aware of any municipalities asking residents to change their drinking water usage while response efforts continued.
The US and Iran have been embroiled in armed conflict, which flared up once again over the last two weeks. American forces have carried out airstrikes in many regions of Iran as tensions escalate between Washington and Tehran over the control of the Strait of Hormuz. Diplomatic outreach has so far proved to be fruitless, with Trump threatening even more strikes over the coming days.
