When you turn on the faucet, you probably aren’t thinking about cybersecurity.
But behind that clean, running water are treatment plants, pumps, control systems and networks that all have to work together. Increasingly, those systems are also connected to technology that can become a target for cyberattacks.
That’s especially concerning for rural water systems, which often have fewer resources and smaller teams to dedicate to cybersecurity.
Dr. John McLain, Director of the Cyber Resiliency Center here at the Georgia Cyber Center at Augusta University, recently spoke with WCHS about the growing cyber threats facing rural water systems and the work being done to prepare the next generation of cybersecurity professionals to protect critical infrastructure.
Cybersecurity for water is about more than protecting computers
One of the most important points McLain shared with WCHS is that securing a water system requires looking beyond the computers and networks themselves.
“You’ve got to think of it as protecting the delivery of clean water,” McLain told WCHS.
That distinction matters.
A cyberattack against a water system isn’t simply a technology problem. If an attacker gains access to systems that control or monitor water treatment and distribution, the consequences can reach far beyond the network. A disruption could affect a community’s ability to access safe, reliable water.
Recent cyber incidents have shown that attackers don’t necessarily need sophisticated tools to find a way in. WCHS reported that recent attacks on water systems across multiple states involved common vulnerabilities such as default passwords on remote access servers. Strong authentication, careful access controls and ongoing monitoring can make it much harder for an attacker to gain and maintain access.
For smaller and rural water systems, those protections can be difficult to put in place without the right resources and expertise.
Preparing the next generation to protect critical infrastructure
Addressing these challenges takes more than technology. It also takes people who know how to recognize vulnerabilities, understand how critical infrastructure operates and respond when something goes wrong.
That’s where education and hands-on experience come in.
Students at Augusta University are getting opportunities to work with advanced cyber operations and learn how cybersecurity concepts apply to real-world challenges. By giving students exposure to critical infrastructure and cyber resiliency, they can begin building the skills they will need to protect essential services throughout their careers.
For McLain and the Cyber Resiliency Center, developing that workforce is an important part of building stronger communities.
The goal isn’t simply to teach students how to secure a computer. It’s to help them understand what is at stake when the systems they protect support something as essential as clean drinking water.
Building stronger, more resilient water systems
The challenges facing rural water systems are not going away. As more systems rely on remote access, connected technologies and digital controls, cybersecurity needs to be part of the conversation from the start.
That means water utilities need to know what systems they have, understand where their vulnerabilities are and have a plan for responding if something goes wrong.
It also means communities need access to the people and resources that can help them prepare.
Through the Cyber Resiliency Center, the Georgia Cyber Center at Augusta University is working to bring cybersecurity expertise and practical resources to organizations across Georgia. That includes rural communities and other organizations that may not have the staff or resources to maintain a large cybersecurity operation on their own.
Protecting critical infrastructure is a shared responsibility. It takes technology, preparation and people with the right skills.
And increasingly, it starts with preparing students today to solve the problems communities will face tomorrow.
Watch the WCHS interview
John McLain’s interview with WCHS provides a closer look at the cyber threats facing rural water systems and why preparing both organizations and future cybersecurity professionals is so important.
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