We need this multiple times a day for the rest of our lives. Our loved ones, pets, and food depend on this substance. This substance is also vulnerable to natural disasters and cyber-attacks. Water is life, and life is water.
Without security like Binary Armor protecting the infrastructure, it is becoming more apparent that our infrastructure that provides safe drinking water to communities is at risk to malicious actors. This risk happens because of technology being outdated or not having the resources or money to get cyber security up to date. Not having safe drinking water because of cyberattacks may seem like a doomsday scenario, but hacks at water treatment plants are becoming more common. In February of 2021, a Florida water system plant got hacked and increased the levels of lye to an unsafe amount. Luckily, no one was hurt, and the water did not reach the public. But the fact that it happened once means it will happen again,
Hacks like that show the need to increase cybersecurity and how powerful knowledge can be. According to the Water Sector Coordinating Council, people want “cyber training, technical assistance, cybersecurity threat information, and increased federal loans” to implement cyber security measures. People want to protect their jobs, community, and infrastructure.
It may seem daunting not knowing where to begin in the cybersecurity world. We are lucky that the Binary Armor team is filled with cybersecurity experts who care about teaching others about protecting their systems. Still, overall you do not have to be a high-level cybersecurity engineer to care about protecting what matters. All you have to do is have a willingness and passion for learning. Knowledge is power, and that knowledge can defend the infrastructure that keeps us safe. It doesn’t matter where you live – rural, city, or in between – we can all do our part in learning how to protect our water infrastructure.
Here are some more articles if you are curious about learning more
- https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2021/03/10/florida-hack-exposes-danger-to-water-systems
- https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-08/hacker-changed-chemical-level-in-florida-water-treatment-plant?leadSource=uverify%20wall
- https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/water-agencies-seek-to-head-off-devastating-cyberattacks#:~:text=The%20water%20crisis%20in%20Jackson,industry%20officials%20warned%20lawmakers%20Wednesday.
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