Did Iran hack water systems in seven US states?

In late July, the US state of Minnesota reported that over 30 of its water systems had been affected by a coordinated cyber-attack. Cybersecurity experts believe the attack may have originated from Iran. The FBI has warned that similar incidents have been reported in at least seven states, with some of these operations compromising water operations.

Local authorities in New Jersey, South Dakota, and Georgia have also reported attacks. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is investigating a possible Iranian connection, although the agency has not commented on the matter. President Trump has blamed the attack on "grossly incompetent" Minnesota officials, but acknowledged that other states were similarly affected.

Cyber experts suggest that the number of impacted states is likely to increase, as no state is immune to such cyber threats. The US has thousands of public drinking water systems and wastewater treatment facilities, making them potential targets for cyber-attacks. Experts attribute recent attacks to North Korea or Iran, and suggest that Iran may have orchestrated the current attacks to sow discord amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict.

Iran has denied involvement in previous cyber-attacks, including those targeting water systems, presidential campaigns, hospitals, and a Las Vegas casino in 2014. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman has stated that the country does not support such moves and has never had dangerous measures in cyberspace on its agenda. Most Iranian cyber-attacks against the US and Israel this year have been carried out by a group called Handala, which experts believe is affiliated with Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS).

The biggest threat of these hacks is not the water supply itself, but the potential damage to public confidence in the government's ability to provide essential services.