08/08/2025
Good morning brokers. DEF CON Franklin, a new initiative, is deploying ethical hackers to safeguard vulnerable US water utilities from state-sponsored cyberattacks. It partners with the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) and the University of Chicago’s Cyber Policy Initiative.
More Details:
🔹 The initiative is sparked by a 2023 attack on a Pennsylvania water authority that exposed major security gaps.
🔹 The US has 50,000+ mostly small utilities lacking dedicated cybersecurity staff.
🔹 Volunteers provide free on-site help: network mapping, password upgrades, and OT vulnerability assessments.
🔹 Teams have assisted utilities in Indiana, Oregon, Utah, and Vermont, with more states to follow.
🔹 Partners include DEF CON, NRWA, Cyber Resilience Corps, Aspen Digital, and the American Water Works Association.
If state actors can target water utilities, how prepared are your utility service clients in critical infrastructure? Is their cyber policy built for OT and ICS risks?