FBI probes water cyberattacks in Michigan and Minnesota
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- Michigan reported cyberattacks on nine of its water systems, days after Minnesota disclosed breaches at 30 sites across the state.
- The FBI confirmed it is investigating both states' incidents, while a federal advisory noted at least seven states have reported similar incidents with only Minnesota and Michigan publicly identified.
- Federal agencies including the FBI and CISA warned last week that Iranian hackers have been targeting water and wastewater systems and the operational controls of critical infrastructure sectors.
- Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy said "all systems continued to operate safely" following the attacks; Minnesota said as of Thursday there were no active requests for residents to modify water usage.
- President Trump dismissed the Iranian attribution, telling reporters "I think Minnesota is behind it" without evidence and instead criticizing the state's Democratic leadership.
- Governor Tim Walz countered that Iran was responsible and blamed Trump's federal workforce cuts for leaving the US more vulnerable to cyberattacks, adding "Trump knows exactly who is responsible for this attack."
Why it matters: With at least 39 water facilities hit across two states and no culprit named, the episode exposes how out-of-date cybersecurity at local water plants leaves critical infrastructure exposed to foreign hackers. The political split between Trump and Walz — one blaming Minnesota's Democrats, the other blaming Trump's federal cuts — means the policy response risks being shaped by partisan point-scoring rather than technical fixes to vulnerable systems.
