The United States is facing a new threat of cyberattacks on municipal water and wastewater systems across the states. At least 7 US states have been targeted in a wave of cyberattacks since July this year. Minnesota reported in late July that at least 30 of its municipal water systems were hit by a coordinated cyber attack, leaving people stunned.

Days later, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned that malicious cyber attackers had breached water and wastewater systems in about seven states, disrupting operations and exposing vulnerabilities in essential public services.

Who is responsible for hacking the water system?

Several US states, including Georgia, New Jersey and South Dakota, have reported similar attacks, but it is not yet clear whether they are part of the seven states on the FBI's list.

The Donald Trump administration initially blamed hackers allegedly linked to Iran for the cyberattack, but the US government has not yet officially identified anyone behind the attack on a crucial life resource.

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As per US Federal government data, there are 1,52,000 public drinking water systems and more than 16,000 wastewater treatment facilities across the US.

Most municipalities get their water from lakes, ponds, rivers, or underground aquifers. Electric pumps then move the water through pipes to a treatment plant that filters and disinfects it and then transfers the treated supply to storage tanks, which then distribute it to homes, businesses, and public utility sites like parks and schools.

Trump suspects Iran

According to CBS News, US officials are investigating whether the cyberattacks may be linked to Iranian hackers, but they have cautioned that assessment could change as more technical evidence is gathered.

Iran has a history of carrying out similar attacks on Israeli supplies. However, in a cabinet meeting last week, Trump blamed Minnesota officials for the hack. He also casts doubt on whether Iran was involved.

"Oh, it's Iran. Iran should be very lucky. Iran has bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota," Trump said.

Meanwhile, investigators are also looking into whether any other actors have tried to mimic Iranian tactics to mislead authorities.

How was the water hack done in America?

According to a CNN report, hackers are targeting internet-facing programmable logic controllers (PLCs), the devices that allow all industrial equipment to communicate in water facilities and other industrial plants.

Programmable logic controllers monitor water pressure, chemical dosing, and other factors in the water system to ensure it is safe to drink.

Municipal workers use dashboards to operate controllers using wired networks, radio or cellular links, or internet connections.

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William Akoto, assistant professor of global security at the American University School of International Service, explained the structure of these cyberattacks in an article for The Conversation. Prof Akoto said that attackers scan internet addresses for external companies providing controllers, dashboards and remote access services, and look for targets that are directly connected to the internet.

Next, cyber attackers look for default or stolen passwords, unpatched vulnerabilities, or misconfigured remote-access services to log in. They then exploit the access they gain by changing passwords, invoking commands, or attempting to modify the controller's software.