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EXCLUSIVE – A coalition of bipartisan lawmakers is set to present a critical piece of legislation aimed at reinforcing the security of America’s water systems against cyber threats. This initiative arrives in the wake of recent revelations that highlighted China’s involvement in a series of attacks targeting United States infrastructure.
Senators Ruben Gallego, a Democrat from Arizona, and Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, spearheaded the introduction of the Water Cybersecurity Enhancement Act. This legislation seeks to protect public water systems and enhance responses to increasingly frequent cyberattacks.
Gallego emphasized the vital need for secure water resources in Arizona, stating, “In our state, we deeply understand the importance of reliably safe and secure water access. Adversaries are also aware of this significance and are increasingly determined to compromise our water security. This bipartisan bill is essential in equipping public water systems with the necessary resources to prevent and effectively respond to cyberattacks.”
The proposed bill aims to extend and enhance a section of the Safe Drinking Water Act known as the Drinking Water Infrastructure Risk and Resilience Program. This program will offer vital technical assistance and grants to community water systems, enabling them to enhance their training and preparedness against possible cyber threats.
A Growing Concern for Cybersecurity
Cotton underscored the increasing threat posed by cybercriminals to public infrastructure. He remarked, “This bipartisan legislation will fortify our capability to protect essential services and assist local water utilities in building robust cyber defenses.”
The timing of this legislative initiative is crucial. It follows a report from the Wall Street Journal revealing that Chinese officials confessed in private that their government conducted a series of cyberattacks on U.S. infrastructure, including water systems.
Sources who requested anonymity disclosed that these officials connected the cyberattacks to American support for Taiwan. In a separate summit in Geneva, U.S. officials directly heard from their Chinese counterparts, who implicated a criminal organization in these attacks, dubbed Volt Typhoon, which targeted critical infrastructure including ports and airports.
Furthermore, Chinese officials accused the United States of baselessly attributing cyber aggression to their government.
The U.S. Response to Cyber Threats
The Biden administration has made its position clear regarding Chinese cyber activity. A State Department spokesperson reported that the U.S. will persist in taking measures to counter Chinese cyber threats, highlighting their nature as some of the most significant risks to national security.
“Chinese cyber threats are among the gravest and most persistent threats to U.S. national security,” the spokesperson stated. “The United States will employ all available tools to protect critical infrastructure from irresponsible attacks originating from China. President Biden remains committed to defending American interests from these dangers.”
The Chinese Embassy has cautioned that accusations against China are unfounded and merely an attempt to malign the country, asserting their firm opposition to any defamatory rhetoric lacking factual basis.
Warnings from the Biden Administration
Former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan, along with Jake Sullivan, Biden’s assistant for national security affairs, communicated to state governors that such cyberattacks pose a serious risk to water and wastewater systems across the country.
The communication highlighted the potential for these attacks to jeopardize clean and safe drinking water and inflict considerable financial repercussions on affected communities.
Recent Cyber Incidents
Former Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas informed lawmakers that the cybersecurity firm Mandiant attributed the Muleshoe attack to Sandworm, a group believed to have ties with Russia’s intelligence service, the GRU.
Strengthening Water Systems for the Future
