Pro-Russia hacktivists attacking vital tech in water and other sectors, agencies say | CyberScoop<\/title> <link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say\/\"> <meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\"> <meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\"> <meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pro-Russia hacktivists attacking vital tech in water and other sectors, agencies say\"> <meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Other sectors that the hacktivists \u2014 who sometimes pose physical threats \u2014 are targeting in North America and Europe include energy and agriculture, according to a Wednesday advisory.\"> <meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say\/\"> <meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CyberScoop\"> <meta property=\"article:published_time\" 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class=\"icon icon--close\" width=\"21\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 22\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"m.822.518-.805.805L9.695 11 .017 20.678l.805.805 9.678-9.678 9.677 9.678.806-.805L11.305 11l9.678-9.677-.806-.805-9.677 9.677L.822.518Z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg> <span class=\"visually-hidden\">Close<\/span> <\/button> <\/section>\n<article class=\"single-article content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__container js-single-article-content\">\n<header class=\"single-article__header \" readability=\"25.570093457944\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"32.111111111111\">\n<p> Other sectors that the hacktivists \u2014 who sometimes pose physical threats \u2014 are targeting in North America and Europe include energy and agriculture, according to a Wednesday advisory. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say.jpg?resize=640%2C426&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say-2.jpg 2121w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say-2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say-2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say-2.jpg?resize=1024,682 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say-2.jpg?resize=1536,1023 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say-2.jpg?resize=2048,1364 2048w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say-2.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say-2.jpg?resize=252,168 252w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say-2.jpg?resize=506,337 506w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say-2.jpg?resize=1013,675 1013w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say-2.jpg?resize=1265,843 1265w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1013px) 100vw, 1013px\"><figcaption> (Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"30.578966389592\"><body readability=\"64.538330494037\"><\/p>\n<p>Pro-Russia hacktivists are compromising technology that keeps facilities safe and operational in the water, wastewater, energy, dam, food and agriculture sectors, federal and international agencies said in an advisory released Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>In some cases, the agencies said, the attacks pose physical threats.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cisa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/2024-05\/defending-ot-operations-against-ongoing-pro-russia-hacktivist-activity-508c.pdf\">The advisory<\/a>, focused on hacktivist activity in those sectors in North America and Europe, provides guidance on defending operational technology (OT) devices and industrial control systems (ICS), which are involved in the maintenance, monitoring or controlling of industrial processes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe pro-Russia hacktivist activity appears mostly limited to unsophisticated techniques that manipulate ICS equipment to create nuisance effects,\u201d according to the agencies. \u201cHowever, investigations have identified that these actors are capable of techniques that pose physical threats against insecure and misconfigured OT environments.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The hacktivists have carried out disruptions \u201ccausing water pumps and blower equipment to exceed their normal operating parameters,\u201d and \u201cin each case, the hacktivists maxed out set points, altered other settings, turned off alarm mechanisms, and changed administrative passwords.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome victims experienced minor tank overflow events; however, most victims reverted to manual controls in the immediate aftermath and quickly restored operations,\u201d the advisory continued.<\/p>\n<p>One such case of an overflow where Russian hacktivists claimed credit was in Muleshoe, Texas. Mandiant said in a recent report that a Russian military intelligence operation is suspected of <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/sandworm-apt44-texas-water-facility\/\">controlling that group<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The advisory was produced by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Security Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, Canadian Centre for Cyber Security and the United Kingdom\u2019s National Cyber Security Centre.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/05\/01\/politics\/water-plants-hackers-weak-security-practices\/index.html\">CNN first reported<\/a> on the then-forthcoming advisory.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The agencies suggested that organizations immediately change all default passwords of OT devices to those with strong unique passwords; limit the exposure of OT systems on the internet; and implement multi-factor authentication.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"7.7216117216117\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Tim Starks\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-card__details\" readability=\"10.901098901099\">\n<h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Tim Starks<\/h4>\n<p> Tim Starks is senior reporter at CyberScoop. His previous stops include working at The Washington Post, POLITICO and Congressional Quarterly. An Evansville, Ind. native, he’s covered cybersecurity since 2003. Email Tim here: <a href=\"mailto:tim.starks@cyberscoop.com\">tim.starks@cyberscoop.com<\/a>. <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div 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{"id":3349,"date":"2024-05-01T11:57:07","date_gmt":"2024-05-01T16:57:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=80308"},"modified":"2024-05-01T11:57:07","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T16:57:07","slug":"pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2024\/05\/01\/pro-russia-hacktivists-attacking-vital-tech-in-water-and-other-sectors-agencies-say\/","title":{"rendered":"Pro-Russia hacktivists attacking vital tech in water and other sectors, agencies say"},"content":{"rendered":"