Hackers try to contaminate Florida town's water supply through computer breach

[Elderberry]

Reuters By Christopher Bing 2/8/2021

Hackers broke into the computer system of a facility that treats water for about 15,000 people near Tampa, Florida and sought to add a dangerous level of additive to the water supply, the Pinellas County Sheriff said on Monday.

The attempt on Friday was thwarted. The hackers remotely gained access to a software program, named TeamViewer, on the computer of an employee at the facility for the town of Oldsmar to gain control of other systems, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said in an interview.

“The guy was sitting there monitoring the computer as he’s supposed to and all of a sudden he sees a window pop up that the computer has been accessed,” Gualtieri said. “The next thing you know someone is dragging the mouse and clicking around and opening programs and manipulating the system.”

More: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber-florida/hackers-try-to-contaminate-florida-towns-water-supply-through-computer-breach-idUSKBN2A82FV

[mystery-ak]

Hackers Penetrate Florida Treatment Plant, Attempt to Poison Water Supply

Lucas Nolan 9 Feb 2021

Florida residents had a lucky escape after water treatment plant operators prevented dangerous levels of lye from being added to the local water supply by a hacker that penetrated the computer systems of the City of Oldsmar’s water treatment facility.

NBC News reports that a hacker managed to gain access to the water treatment plant of Oldsmar, Florida, and attempted to increase the amount of lye in the water to extremely dangerous levels. Plant operators quickly noticed the issue and fixed the systems before anyone was put in danger.

In a news conference this week, Pinnella County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri stated that on Friday morning a hacker gained access to a program intended to allow water treatment operators in Oldsmar to troubleshoot problems with the treatment systems. The program gives authorized users full remote access to the plant.

It is believed that the hacker made no changes during the first breach but the system was breached once again late on Friday afternoon. During this attack, the hacker took control of the computer and changed the acceptable level of sodium hydroxide — or lye, the main ingredient in most drain cleaners — from 100 parts per million to 11,100 parts per million.

more
https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2021/02/09/hackers-penetrate-florida-treatment-plant-attempt-to-poison-water-supply/

[GtHawk]

When they catch this democrat he should be put away for life.

[Fishrrman]

NBC News reports that a hacker managed to gain access to the water treatment plant of Oldsmar, Florida, and attempted to increase the amount of lye in the water to extremely dangerous levels.

I have to ask:
Why is lye being added to drinking water (in any quantity) in the first place...?

[GtHawk]

NBC News reports that a hacker managed to gain access to the water treatment plant of Oldsmar, Florida, and attempted to increase the amount of lye in the water to extremely dangerous levels.

I have to ask:
Why is lye being added to drinking water (in any quantity) in the first place...?

Better known as lye, sodium hydroxide is used in small amounts to treat the acidity of water and to remove metals.