As Water Systems Face Cyberattacks, Georgia Tech Research Points to Solutions

Recent cyberattacks on municipal water systems across the United States have renewed concerns about the cybersecurity of the operational technology that supports critical infrastructure.

For researchers in Georgia Tech's Cyber-Physical Security (CPSec) Lab, however, the vulnerabilities behind many of these incidents are far from new.

Associate Professor Saman Zonouz leads the CPSec Lab and has studied programmable logic controllers (PLCs) for years. These devices automate critical infrastructure, including water treatment facilities, power grids, manufacturing plants, and transportation systems. The lab’s work has revealed widespread internet exposure and software vulnerabilities that leave many industrial control systems vulnerable to cyberattacks.