Cybersecurity Expert Discusses Water System Vulnerabilities Amid Recent Hacks
Following a series of cyberattacks on U.S. water infrastructure in recent weeks, a cybersecurity expert from Arizona State University (ASU) has addressed the vulnerabilities of water systems and the potential for such incidents in Arizona. Muslum Ozgur Ozmen, an assistant professor at ASU's School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, explained that water systems are attractive targets for foreign adversaries due to their critical role in agriculture, daily life, and data centers. He highlighted that U.S. water systems are decentralized, with each municipality managing its own infrastructure. Ozmen warned that cyberattacks could lead to contamination, system unavailability, and data theft. He noted that recent attacks targeted smaller municipalities, often exploiting vulnerabilities like default or weak passwords in cyber-physical systems, which combine internet-connected controls with physical equipment. Ozmen suggested that AI models could help identify and patch vulnerabilities, monitor systems remot... 
