NRWA and DEF CON Franklin Launch Cybersecurity Program for Small Water Utilities
Summary
The NRWA and DEF CON Franklin launched the Water Watch Center to support small U.S. water utilities. Five providers will share threat and patch intelligence, and organizers are developing digital replicas to test defensive approaches.
Key points
- The Water Watch Center will provide cybersecurity support to water and wastewater utilities serving fewer than 10,000 people.
- Rapid7, Defendify, Legato Security, L1 Secure and Sentinel Technologies will share threat information and vulnerability patch data through the NRWA.
- The initiative follows reported cyberattacks affecting water systems in at least 12 states; the article says the broader campaign is allegedly linked to Iranian hackers.
- The program is working with Vanderbilt University and the U.S. military on digital replicas of water environments for testing automated defenses.
- DEF CON Franklin previously recruited 450 volunteer cyber experts and paired many with water utilities in several states.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Launch of a cybersecurity support and threat-intelligence initiative for small water and wastewater utilities
- Impact
- The Water Watch Center will coordinate support for utilities serving fewer than 10,000 people. Five providers will share threat information and vulnerability-patch intelligence with the National Rural Water Association. The initiative responds to cyberattacks reported by water systems in at least 12 states; the article says the campaign was allegedly linked to Iranian hackers.
People
Jake BraunCo-founder of DEF CON Franklin; described the Water Watch Center’s delivery model and the effort to support utilities facing cyber threats.Matthew HolmesChief Executive Officer of the National Rural Water Association; described the initiative’s purpose of helping rural water systems secure infrastructure.
Vendors
DefendifyThe program targets smaller utilities and comes amid a growing wave of attacks linked to Iranian hackers, with partner firms including Rapid7, Defendify, Legato Security, L1 Secure, and Sentinel Technologies.L1 SecureThe program targets smaller utilities and comes amid a growing wave of attacks linked to Iranian hackers, with partner firms including Rapid7, Defendify, Legato Security, L1 Secure, and Sentinel Technologies.Legato SecurityThe program targets smaller utilities and comes amid a growing wave of attacks linked to Iranian hackers, with partner firms including Rapid7, Defendify, Legato Security, L1 Secure, and Sentinel Technologies.Rapid7The program targets smaller utilities and comes amid a growing wave of attacks linked to Iranian hackers, with partner firms including Rapid7, Defendify, Legato Security, L1 Secure, and Sentinel Technologies.Sentinel TechnologiesThe program targets smaller utilities and comes amid a growing wave of attacks linked to Iranian hackers, with partner firms including Rapid7, Defendify, Legato Security, L1 Secure, and Sentinel Technologies.