American Water Works cyberattack: Water supplier says its systems were hacked

American Water Works, the largest supplier of drinking water and wastewater services in the US, has been hit by hackers. The company provides services to over 14 million people in 14 states and 18 military installations. The hackers breached the company's computer networks and systems on Thursday, prompting American Water Works to take protective measures, including shutting down certain systems. The company does not believe its facilities or operations were impacted, but is currently unable to predict the full impact of the incident. To protect customer data and prevent harm to the environment, certain systems were disconnected or deactivated, and late charges will be waived while these systems are unavailable. The company is working around the clock to investigate the incident and is cooperating with law enforcement. This incident highlights the vulnerability of drinking water and wastewater systems to cyberattacks, as warned by the Environmental Protection Agency and National Security Advisor earlier this year. The number of reported data breaches in the US hit a record 3,205 in 2023, up 78% from 2022, despite organizations spending an estimated $188 billion globally on cybersecurity in 2023. This figure is expected to increase to almost $215 billion in 2024, but it remains to be seen if these efforts will be effective. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity practices to protect critical infrastructure and customer data.