Protecting Water and Wastewater Systems from Cyber Threats | Safeguarding Critical Infrastructure

This webinar was originally held on June 6th, 2024, and is now available for on demand viewing. 

Duration: 1 hour
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Summary

Drinking water and wastewater systems are an attractive target for cyberattacks because they are a lifeline to citizens and organizations worldwide.   Recent incidents have garnered media attention as potential threats to water systems endanger public health and the environment. This critical infrastructure sector often lacks the resources and technical capacity to adopt rigorous cybersecurity practices. 
 
To address the pervasive and challenging risk of cyberattacks on drinking water systems, Fortinet partnered with Wastewater Digest and Waterworld Magazine to gather insights from leaders on the cybersecurity priorities for these organizations.  The results show that there has been an increase in the number of cyber incidents or IT/OT security related breaches organization experienced in the last 12 months, up 60% since the 2021 research.  Most organizations or agencies rank securing remote access, visibility to network-connected systems / assets, securing wireless access and threat intelligence as the areas receiving the most focus in the coming 12 months.  
 
This supports the priority the White House is giving, as highlighted in a recent letter to Governors, to cybersecurity for water and wastewater systems in the United States.  The letter calls for action to secure water systems against the increasing risks from and consequences of these attacks.  This webinar will address the: 

• Changing technology priorities, with a shift in focus towards improving system resilience and accommodating digital transformation.   
• Responsibility for cybersecurity, while most often aligns with Head of Information Technology (IT), ultimately, all employees share some responsibility for cybersecurity. 
• Critical need for Situational Awareness which indicates without detection methods, cyberattacks can be “invisible” until it’s too late.  
• Cybersecurity educational imperative points to an improved understanding of what needs to change implying a need for cybersecurity training to create a cybersecurity culture throughout the organization.

With the growing attack surface due to the advent of smart meters, rapid growth in sensors and automation, predictive analytics, digital twins, and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), cybersecurity must be a top priority.