Retired General Paul Nakasone, a former NSA chief, has called for water-system programmable logic controllers to be kept off the public internet after cyberattacks affected facilities in at least 12 US states. Although US authorities have not formally attributed the incidents, security researchers suspect Iran-linked groups, highlighting the vulnerability of critical infrastructure during heightened tensions with Iran.

The FBI said in late July that it was investigating attacks on operational-technology devices, including controllers that monitor water levels and operate pumps. Nakasone said the US’s roughly 50,000 water municipalities are difficult to protect because many are underfunded and lack specialist cyber staff; he urged closer partnerships, citing volunteer-led DEF CON Franklin and Project Chimera as possible support efforts.