Cyberattack Cripples Wastewater Treatment for Millions in Paris Region

The French organization SIAAP, responsible for wastewater treatment for nine million residents of Paris and its surroundings, fell victim to a substantial cyberattack on Friday. The company manages nearly 450 kilometers of pipelines across four French departments.

“The SIAAP crisis unit remains mobilized to manage the aftermath of this attack and support the continuity of the work of all of its agents from this week in a working environment largely degraded by the current situation,” the company announced on its official website.

In the initial 48 hours following the incident, IT teams focused intensively on fortifying the industrial information systems. Moreover, a decision was made to disconnect all external computer and digital connections of SIAAP, aiming to minimize the risk of the attack’s proliferation.

The organization’s primary task became the maintenance of sewage services for the residents of Île-de-France. Authorities emphasized that they are working relentlessly to restore normal operations.

Additionally, the organization has been granted permission to hire external cybersecurity firms and purchase necessary equipment for system restoration.

To date, no hacker group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, it is noteworthy that recently, cybercriminals specializing in extortion are increasingly targeting water facilities. Such organizations allure hackers due to their possession of critical and confidential customer data.

Via: therecord.media