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Two municipal water systems in New Jersey were targeted in cyberattacks over the past week, with investigations pointing to Iran as the likely source, state officials announced Wednesday.
Though the specific utilities were not named, both experienced temporary outages of their automated control systems. Operators swiftly switched to manual procedures, ensuring continuous water service without disruption. The state confirmed that the systems have since been secured with enhanced access controls.
“Our New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell (NJCCIC) responded promptly to these incidents and is collaborating closely with the affected utilities, the FBI, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency,” the state said in a statement.
The cyberattacks exploited vulnerabilities in internet-connected control systems, briefly limiting remote monitoring and management capabilities. Despite this, water utility staff maintained operations manually, guaranteeing uninterrupted access to safe drinking water for residents.
Sources familiar with the investigation told ABC News that Iran is the prime suspect, potentially signaling a retaliatory move amid escalating tensions with the Trump administration. Officials are also considering whether another state actor might be mimicking Iran’s tactics to influence U.S. responses.
Similar intrusions have been reported in other states. In Georgia, the Clayton County Water Authority briefly issued a boil-water advisory following a hacking incident, while Columbus Water Works detected an intrusion without any impact on water quality.
These recent attacks have affected water and wastewater utilities across at least twelve states, exploiting a known vulnerability in widely used utility software. Although a patch has been released, utilities nationwide are urgently checking their systems for potential breaches.
So far, there have been no reports of illness or major disruptions to water supplies. Authorities continue to investigate the full extent of the cyberattacks and assess the potential risks to critical infrastructure relied upon by millions of Americans every day.