A cyberattack that affected nearly 36 drinking water systems in Minnesota this week may have been caused by Iran, according to a new report.
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The New York Times reported on Thursday that state and federal investigators told the newspaper that the problems were “probably” caused by Iranian hackers.
However, authorities warned that they had not yet definitively determined who was responsible for the attack and that the preliminary assessment could change as they gathered more technical data.
They also warned that hackers could be trying to impersonate people based in Iran in an effort to increase tensions between the two countries, although former intelligence officials said such a scenario was unlikely.
Three state officials informed about the cyberattack investigation indicated that the techniques used and the absence of a ransom demand led analysts to preliminarily conclude that it was the work of Iranian hackers. There was no indication that the water supply had become unsafe for consumption, the Times noted.
Read more United States suspects that Iran may have been behind the cyberattack on Minnesota’s water systems
“The FBI is aware of the incident and in contact with the victims to resolve the matter,” said Matthew Vogel, the agency’s spokesperson, who declined to comment further.
As the investigation continued, former officials and cybersecurity experts said they expected suspicions about Iran’s involvement to intensify.
“Almost all initial assumptions about attribution turn out to be true,” said Cynthia Kaiser, a former senior FBI official who oversaw investigations of cyberattacks attributed to foreign governments.
Several clues pointed to Iran in this case, Kaiser explained, including that it seemed more focused on disruption than economic gain and that Tehran had recently shown an interest in attacking the United States water supply.
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