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Minnesota IT Services Identifies Coordinated Cyberattack Impacting Over 30 Community Water Systems

Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) announced that a coordinated cyberattack targeted the operational technology of more than 30 community water systems across the state on July 26 and 27. The incident forced operators in cities such as Braham, South St. Paul, Plymouth, and Maple Plain to switch to manual operations as automated control systems were disrupted. While the attacks caused temporary outages and communication issues, officials confirmed that water quality and public safety remained unaffected, with no requests for residents to change their drinking water usage. Federal and state authorities are currently investigating the source of the attacks, with preliminary reports suggesting a potential connection to Iranian-linked hackers. The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are coordinating with the EPA and other partners to assess the scope of the impact and provide technical support. John Israel, the MNIT assistant commissioner, stated that the response required a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to help utilities restore operations safely while strengthening defenses against future threats. The investigation remains active as teams work to remediate damages and improve cybersecurity resilience for critical infrastructure.

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