Feb 10, 2021 4:06 AM PT
A cyber intruder broke into the computer network of the water treatment system of a Florida city and attempted to poison it with lye.
News of the attack was made public Monday by officials of Oldsmar, who revealed the attack was foiled by an operator at the facility within minutes of its launch.
After gaining access to the city s water system through software used by employees for remote network access, the intruder increased the levels of sodium hydroxide in the system from 100 parts per million to 11,000 parts per million.
Sodium hydroxide, commonly known as lye, is the main ingredient in liquid drain cleaners. In the water system, it s used in small amounts to control the acidity of the city s drinking water.
A cyber intruder broke into the computer network of the water treatment system of Oldsmar, Fla. and attempted to poison it with lye. News of the attack was made public Monday by officials of Oldsmar, who revealed the attack was foiled by an operator at the facility within minutes of its launch. The Oldsmar plant provides water to businesses and about 15,000 residents.
Cybersecurity Isn’t Going Anywhere in 2021: Expert Predictions Part One
Cybersecurity Isn’t Going Anywhere in 2021: Expert Predictions Part OneBy Samantha Humphries on
Click to learn more about author Samantha Humphries.
When reflecting on 2020, the effects of COVID-19 have touched nearly every corner of the globe, spanning continents, age groups and industries. The pandemic forced an almost overnight transformation in the way most businesses operate, particularly for those that did not already have cloud security tools in place. The hasty nature of these changes – combined with reduced staffing, less investment in security and an increase in attacks – presents some major data security issues.