In a bipartisan effort, Reps. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ-03) and Pat Fallon (R-TX-04) are stepping up to safeguard America's water systems in the digital age. In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the lawmakers pushed for a federal briefing to dig deeply into the January cyber-attack against the Muleshoe, Texas water system. According to their statement, the hack has been traced back to Sandworm, a group with alleged ties to Russian intelligence.
The severe drought gripping the American West intensifies the need to protect vulnerable water supplies from cyber threats. In their letter, the Representatives express concern that an attack like the one in Texas could "disrupt operations across the region with devastating effects," as stated in the report. They intricately to underscore the importance of cybersecurity as a fundamental aspect of national security and public safety.
As the conversation around infrastructure security continues to heat up, Gallego and Fallon have laid out a series of questions for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). They are seeking information on the DHS's current response to the hack, the nature of potential service disruptions, and coordination with local, national, and international bodies in the incident's aftermath. Moreover, they inquire about further strategies to enhance the resilience of water facilities and other critical infrastructure against future attacks.
Anticipating future challenges, the letter also questions whether DHS needs additional authority to bolster its defense of the water systems. The conversation inevitably turns to the past for lessons – notably referencing a previous cyber-attack, purportedly executed by an Iranian-linked group against a water authority in Pennsylvania. Such incidents serve to starkly remind officials that cybersecurity is not a static field, but one needing to constantly adapt and evolve.
This letter marks the second occasion that Rep. Gallego has reached out to Secretary Mayorkas concerning the cybersecurity of the nation's water systems. Gallego's previous correspondence, back in December 2023, also co-authored with Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN-03), similarly requested a briefing on what measures the DHS was implementing to fend off such digital incursions.
