Bottom line: The U.S. Senate has introduced the Water Cyber Shield Act to enhance federal oversight of cybersecurity for water utilities, aiming to bolster protection against growing cyber threats.
What's happening: Senators Joe Schiff and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced the bill on March 14, 2023, which would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development agency to develop a national framework for water utility cybersecurity. The legislation also establishes a Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) task force to address the growing threat of cyber attacks on water utilities.
What to do: Security leaders must assess their water utility's current cybersecurity posture and consider implementing robust security measures, such as multi-factor authentication and vulnerability assessments, to protect against potential attacks.