Iranian hackers likely behind Minnesota water system attacks, but its surprising country hasnt taken credit, expert says
Iranian hackers are likely behind a widening cyberattack campaign against US water systems that has reached at least seven states, including more than 30 systems in Minnesota alone, and likely extends further, a cybersecurity expert told JNS on Friday.“The working assumption is that it is Iranian threat actors,” Annie Fixler, director of the cyber and technology innovation center at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told JNS.“The kind of behavior matches what we’ve seen out of Iran.
The kind of targets and the systems that we’re talking about match.”Fixler cautioned that no actor has publicly claimed responsibility.“What we don’t have is anyone claiming responsibility, which is a little surprising,” she said.“Iranian hackers tend to claim responsibility for stuff because of that ‘perception-hacking’ component, because they want to let everyone know they did it and that they’re really scary and big and bad.”Minnesota officials said on Tuesday that more than 30 community water systems in the state were targeted in coordinated attacks on July 26 and 27.The FBI said on Thursday that water utilities in at least seven states reported similar cyber incidents.
The other affected states have not yet been identified publicly.Fixler told JNS that she doubts that seven will be the final number.“It’s certainly an evolving situation,” she said.“If it’s seven, there’s no reason to think it stops there.
The FBI is saying ‘at least seven.’ I’m sure it’s larger than that.”US President Donald Trump denied on Friday that Iran was responsible for the Minnesota attacks.Instead, he blamed the state’s “corrupt governor.”“We heard in Minnesota there was a cyberattack, and they blame it on Iran.
I don’t think so,” he stated.“I think I blame it on Minnesota, because they’re grossly incompetent.”“There was a cyberattack of 30 water plants, and I would blame it on Minnesota and the governor, the corrupt governor...