● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportMedium impact1 neutral
National Rural Water Association Partners with DEF CON Franklin to Launch Water Watch Center
Key points
- NRWA and DEF CON Franklin launched the Water Watch Center (WWC).
- WWC provides cybersecurity services to small water utilities.
- Five managed detection and response providers are involved.
- The program responds to recent cyberattacks on water systems.
New Partnership for Water System Security
The National Rural Water Association (NRWA) announced a partnership with DEF CON Franklin to establish the Water Watch Center (WWC). This program is designed to offer threat intelligence and cybersecurity support to underfunded water and wastewater systems across the United States.
Addressing Vulnerabilities in Small Utilities
The WWC will provide direct support to smaller water utilities to mitigate cyberattacks. This initiative is a response to a recent series of incidents that have affected water systems in at least 12 states. Over 50,000 community water systems exist in the U.S., with 91% serving fewer than 10,000 people, making them particularly vulnerable.
Service Providers and Operational Model
The program involves five managed detection and response providers: Rapid7, Defendify, Legato Security, L1 Secure, and Sentinel Technologies. These companies will collaborate with DEF CON Franklin and the NRWA to deliver cyber services. The NRWA will function as a central hub for sharing threat information and vulnerability patch data among the participating entities.
Background and Context
The creation of the WWC follows reports of cyberattacks on operational technology in water utilities across several states, including Minnesota, Michigan, Georgia, and South Dakota. This campaign is allegedly linked to Iranian hackers. DEF CON Franklin, formed two years ago by veterans of the DEF CON security conference, has previously connected volunteer cybersecurity experts with water utilities in various states.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
The National Rural Water Association (NRWA) has partnered with DEF CON Franklin to create the Water Watch Center (WWC), a program providing threat intelligence and cybersecurity services to small water utilities. This initiative addresses recent cyberattacks on water systems in multiple states and aims to support the 91% of U.S. community water systems that serve fewer than 10,000 people.