Minnesota's taps are still running, but what's happening behind the scenes has Washington on alert. US intelligence agencies believe Iran was probably behind cyberattacks on more than 30 municipal water systems in the state this week, the New York Times reports, citing "US and state officials and others familiar with the matter." Experts say the attacks may be part of a broader campaign against American infrastructure since the war with Iran began in late February, reports the Washington Post. The FBI is investigating. Federal cybersecurity officials had already warned that Iranian-linked hackers were probing internet-connected control devices at water, wastewater, and energy facilities.
Sources tell CNN that related incidents were reported in Wisconsin and several other states this week. In Minnesota, at least one system was briefly taken offline and others saw monitoring equipment knocked out; officials say drinking water remains safe.
- Analysts say the attackers appear to be focusing on "low-hanging fruit"—small utilities that still use online controllers with default passwords—and see Tehran's goal as psychological pressure rather than physical damage. Homeland Security officials, citing a "significant increase" in such activity, are urging utilities to disconnect these controllers from the internet and change default credentials.
- "I think most credible researchers and responders would be right to treat it like it's Iran until proven otherwise," Cynthia Kaiser, former deputy assistant director of the FBI's cyber division, tells the AP. Kaiser, now the senior vice president of Halcyon's Ransomware Research Center, has been closely monitoring threats to infrastructure. "When it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it's really important to call it out," she says.
- President Trump, however, isn't blaming Iran. At a Cabinet meeting on Friday, he said he blamed the cyberattack "on Minnesota because they're grossly incompetent" and slammed Gov. Tim Walz, Fox 9 reports. "I would blame it on Minnesota and the governor, the corrupt governor of Minnesota," he said. "They like to say, 'Oh, it was Iran.' Iran should be so lucky. Iran's got bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota."
- Walz fired back in a social media post, reports CBS News. "Trump knows exactly who is responsible for this attack, and knows that other states were hit too," he wrote. "This is what modern warfare looks like, and it further illustrates there's no plan to win a war with Iran."
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