Michigan joins Minnesota in reporting cyberattacks, with FBI investigating

What the report says

Michigan has reported cyberattacks affecting nine of its water systems, adding to a similar episode disclosed earlier in the week in Minnesota, according to Al Jazeera. The FBI said it is investigating both incidents, and federal officials have said at least seven states have recently reported related activity, though only Minnesota and Michigan have been publicly identified so far.

No culprit has been confirmed. Al Jazeera reported that the attacks came after the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and other agencies warned last week that Iranian hackers had been targeting water and wastewater systems and other critical infrastructure. The article also noted that local water facilities can be especially exposed because they often rely on older cybersecurity and operational technology.

In Michigan, Dale George of the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy said the affected systems were still operating safely. He said the state received a federal cyber alert on Tuesday about attempted tampering with water-system operational technology, followed by reports from some communities that matched the federal description.

Minnesota had earlier reported attacks on 30 sites. State officials said the incidents generally involved remote monitoring and control technology, and that the disruptions did not necessarily mean water service itself was interrupted. The story also placed the developments in a broader political context, with US officials and state leaders offering conflicting views about whether Iran was responsible.