American Water Works, based in Camden, New Jersey, disclosed that hackers infiltrated their computer networks and systems, forcing the company to halt billing operations for customers. The security breach was identified last Thursday, prompting the utility giant to take precautionary measures and shut down specific systems to address the situation and safeguard sensitive data. Despite this incident, American Water Works assured customers that its facilities and operations were not directly impacted, although the full extent of the breach's consequences remains uncertain at this time.
An American Water Works spokesperson informed CBS News that they disconnected or deactivated certain systems to protect customer data and prevent any further environmental harm, resulting in the temporary unavailability of their customer portal service, MayWater. The company announced that customers would not incur late charges during this period when vital systems were offline, highlighting their commitment to investigating the incident intensively and understanding its nature and scope. Additionally, American Water Works confirmed that they had notified law enforcement agencies about the cybersecurity breach and were actively cooperating with authorities during the ongoing investigation process.
As the largest regulated water and wastewater utility provider in the United States, American Water serves more than 14 million individuals across various states and military installations, managing an extensive network of water and wastewater systems in diverse communities. Following news of the breach, the company's stock experienced fluctuations, with shares initially declining by 3.9% on Monday but recovering slightly the next day. Amid growing concerns about cybersecurity threats to critical infrastructure, including water-treatment facilities, U.S. officials were reportedly investigating alleged activities involving Chinese intelligence officers targeting U.S. infrastructure networks, connecting a recent cyberattack on broadband providers to the government in Beijing, according to sources cited by the Wall Street Journal.