Tip of the Week – November 12, 2026

Secure Service Accounts

Service accounts are commonly used by applications, automated processes, and network services to communicate with other systems, but they can become overlooked security risks when improperly managed. Water utilities are encouraged to inventory service accounts, restrict their permissions to only what is necessary, regularly review their use, and disable accounts that are no longer needed. Avoid using shared or default credentials, and securely manage service account passwords and keys. Properly managing these accounts can help prevent attackers from exploiting them to gain persistent access or move through utility networks.

Resource: Microsoft: Securing on-premises service accounts