CALIFORNIA Water Service (Cal Water) is investigating hacking claims made by the Iran-linked group Handala, which alleges to have stolen several gigabytes of data from the utility's systems. The group claimed it could have disrupted water supply operations but chose not to, instead leaking data including personal information from a customer billing database. Cal Water has activated its cybersecurity response plan and is collaborating with state and federal partners to address the situation.
Preliminary findings suggest no operational disruptions to their water systems. The incident highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in the water sector to cyberattacks.