US rings cybersecurity alarm over China-linked water system threats

TLDR:

• The U.S. government is focused on protecting critical infrastructure, particularly water and wastewater systems, from cyberattacks.
• Recent warnings have highlighted Chinese hacking group i-SOON’s attacks on critical infrastructure and governments worldwide.

The U.S. government, through agencies like CISA, the EPA, and FBI, is taking steps to educate and bolster security measures for water and wastewater systems to protect against cyber threats. Recent revelations of Chinese hacking group i-SOON targeting critical infrastructure worldwide have raised alarms about vulnerabilities in the nation’s infrastructure. The FBI, in collaboration with international partners, has been actively working to take down hacker organizations like the LockBit gang and the KV botnet associated with China-backed Volt Typhoon.

Experts warn that China’s cyber operations pose a significant threat to U.S. critical infrastructure and national security. The PRC’s activities, just below the threshold of war, are viewed as a grave concern by security professionals. Large hacker organizations in China are operating with the sophistication of corporations, indicating a growing cyber conflict between the U.S. and China. The need for a collaborative effort between the U.S. government and private industry to combat cyber threats is becoming increasingly necessary.

As the U.S. government works to defend critical infrastructure from cyberattacks, the evolving landscape of cyber conflict with China highlights the need for proactive measures to safeguard national security.