Cyberattacks on UK water systems reveal rising risks to critical infrastructure

According to Recorded Future News, five cyber incidents affecting the UK’s water system have taken place since 1 January 2024, a figure drawn from information requested from the Drinking Water Inspectorate. In August 2022 the Clop ransomware gang hit South Staffordshire Water, a breach that targeted customer data rather than disrupting water supplies. In late 2023 pro‑Iranian hackers disrupted water services in County Mayo, Ireland, with outages affecting about 160 homes for two days.

The article notes that in February last year a Chinese state‑sponsored group spent months moving laterally through a US water facility, with CISA linking the intrusion to Volt Typhoon and describing the attackers as OT adjacent. Just last month the Canadian Centre for Cybersecurity reported an attack on a municipal water facility.

The piece also discusses potential changes to reporting requirements under the UK’s Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which is expected to reach Parliament in 2025 and could expand disclosure rules for attacks that could affect the water supply.