Critical Infrastructure Security, Governance, Risk and Compliance

New water department urged to address cyber threats, water crisis

Mounting cybersecurity and climate change threats against the U.S. water sector have prompted the National Infrastructure Advisory Council to recommend the establishment of a Water Department or another Cabinet-level agency that would work to strengthen the resilience of the country's water systems, according to CyberScoop. Establishing a unified office to deal with threats facing the water industry is crucial amid the ongoing fragmentation of responsibility brought upon by the various agencies having water-related oversight, noted NIAC in its report, which also noted the importance of a National Water Strategy that would improve coordination among agencies. NIAC also noted that the eventual Department of Water should not only create its budget requirements and cyber and physical threat resilience priorities, but also work to address workforce issues faced by the water sector. "The response must be nuanced, timely, and intent on delivering results that strengthen the security and resilience of our nations critical infrastructure," said the report.

Related

Details on 2021 Chemonics hack remain scant

International development firm Chemonics, which mainly caters to the United States Agency of International Development, has not yet provided more extensive information regarding a cyberattack that compromised more than 6,000 individuals initially reported in July 2021, reports FedScoop.

Media, think tank, service spoofing conducted in APT42 cyberespionage operations

Iranian state-backed hacking operation APT42 — also known as Mint Sandstorm, Mint Phosphorous, Charming Kitten, and TA453 — has spoofed major news organizations, including The Washington Post, think tanks, such as the McCain Institute, and internet services, such as Gmail, YouTube, and Google Drive, as part of cyberespionage campaigns against journalists and human rights activists, reports CyberScoop.

Feds warn of new Kimsuky phishing attack techniques

The U.S. State Department, National Security Agency, and the FBI have issued a joint advisory warning organizations across the country, especially educational entities, non-profits, and think tanks, regarding the increasingly advanced phishing techniques leveraged by North Korean state-backed hacking group Kimsuky, also known as APT43, Emerald Sleet, and Velvet Chollima, Nextgov reports.

Get daily email updates

SC Media's daily must-read of the most current and pressing daily news

By clicking the Subscribe button below, you agree to SC Media Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.