Water and Wastewater Systems Sector Federal Roles and Resources for Cyber Incident Response

With contributions from 25+ Water and Wastewater (WWS) Sector organizations spanning private industry, nonprofit, and government this joint guide, co-sealed by CISA, FBI, and EPA provides incident response best practices and information on federal resources.

The WWS Sector has been impacted by various cyber events, including unauthorized access, and ransomware. Continued compromises or failures of the WWS Sector could cause cascading impacts across critical infrastructure. The guide outlines how water utility owners and operators can expect to work with federal partners as they prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the impact of a cyber incident.

This guide aims to enhance WWS Sector cybersecurity by:

1. Establishing clear guidance for reporting cyber incidents,
2. Connecting utilities with available cybersecurity resources, services, and no-cost trainings,
3. Empowering utilities to build a strong cybersecurity baseline to improve cyber resilience and cyber hygiene, and
4. Encouraging utilities to integrate into their local cyber communities.