INDIANAPOLIS — The White House is warning people across the country of increased cyberattacks on water systems.
The US water sector has around 50,000 public water systems, but it continues to struggle with hacking threats.
In Indianapolis, the Citizens Energy Group is one company that keeps the water running for many Hoosiers, and the company says it is working to stop cyber threats and has a "comprehensive response plan" to remediate any cyber security issues.
Here the company's statement:
Recognizing the vital role water utilities play in public health and safety, Citizens is deeply committed to safeguarding our water utilities from cyber threats through a comprehensive and adaptive security strategy. Key cybersecurity strategies include: risk assessment and management; awareness of current threats; employee training and awareness; technology and infrastructure upgrades; incident response planning; and continuous monitoring and improvement.
The Citizens cybersecurity team leverages the latest industry standards and best practice guidance, including from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). In fact, just last month, team members attended a weeklong cybersecurity training exercise provided by CISA that simulated an attack on a water utility. Our team also maintains a comprehensive understanding of the cyber threat landscape, and team members hold federal clearance and attend classified briefings to better understand and defend against cyber threats. Citizens proactively invests in upgrading our defensive technology and network architectures, including advanced cyber threat detection systems. We also continuously monitor our systems for unusual activity and regularly review and update our security policies and procedures.
In the event of a cyber incident, Citizens has a comprehensive response plan in place to quickly identify, contain, and remediate threats. The Citizens cybersecurity team regularly exercises this plan to ensure we’re prepared for a cyber event.
Given how important water is to life, the company hopes to continue decreasing its vulnerability that many are facing across the nation.