Today, TPPF’s David Dunmoyer, Campaign Director for the Better Tech for Tomorrow campaign, will provide invited testimony before the Texas Senate Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee on the importance of modernizing cybersecurity for Texas’ water infrastructure.
“Rogue foreign actors from countries like Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran are specifically targeting the water sector in rural Texas with repeated, destructive cyberattacks,” Dunmoyer said. “We saw this recently with the attacks on the Muleshoe and Hale Center water systems, illuminating the need for state action. Ultimately, these attacks support influence operations from hostile nation-states, with each successful attack solidifying their foundation for future offensive operations.”
In response to the growing threats of cyberattacks on the water sector in Texas, TPPF recently published new research detailing how the state can modernize its current water infrastructure. The key points from the paper are as follows that concluded the following:
- Recent cyber attacks on water infrastructure systems throughout the nation demonstrate the frailty and inadequacy of existing defenses.
- As state water systems become more digitalized, the attack vectors are growing without commensurate growth in cybersecurity and preparedness.
- The history of public policy for critical infrastructure cybersecurity is punctuated by a reactionary, fragmented system of governance.
- The Texas Legislature should consider seven policy recommendations in the 89th Legislature to position the state as a national leader in water infrastructure cybersecurity.
Read the full research paper here.