(TLP:CLEAR) Water OT Systems Seen as Strategic Targets in Global Power Struggles

Summary: According to Waterfall Security’s 2024 Threat Report “OT Cyberattacks with Physical Consequences”, the overall number of cyber attacks that caused physical consequences for OT organizations was lower in 2024 than in 2023. However, attacks targeting North America’s water and wastewater sector surged in both frequency and severity over the same period. 

Analyst Note: Help Net Security assesses that new SEC disclosure regulations have resulted in the rate of increase in OT incidents slowing due to the impact of public reporting. Regardless, there is an increase in attacks targeting the water sector, with the U.S. suffering the largest amount of incidents regionally, according to Waterfall’s report. The report focuses on nation-state actors and hacktivists that are targeting physical infrastructure, as well as ransomware groups that could be potentially shifting into new markets. These findings appear consistent with the activity and incidents that have been shared with WaterISAC.

Original Source: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/03/25/cyberattacks-physical-consequences-ot-organizations/

Additional Reading:

• (TLP:CLEAR) Claroty Report Highlights Elevated Risk to OT Systems

Related WaterISAC PIRs: 6, 7