ALERT: Malicious Cyber Attacks Targeting Water and Wastewater Systems
New Mexico Environment Department sent this bulletin at 08/04/2026 04:54 PM MDT
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The following message and attachments are being sent out on behalf of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Albuquerque Special Agent in Charge Justin Garris:
Good Afternoon Critical Infrastructure Water and Wastewater Leaders,
I hope your day and week have been well so far. My sincerest apologies, as I haven’t been able to meet most of you all yet. I hope to do so in the near future though.
FBI Albuquerque would like to highlight the following cyber threat activity to each of you and welcome any information or concerns you may associated with this recent activity:
- Malicious Cyber Actors Targeting Water and Wastewater Sector Internet- Facing Programmable Logic Controllers, Causing Operational Disruptions (https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/cyber/alerts/2026/malicious-cyber-actors-targeting-water-and-wastewater-sector-internet--facing-programmable-logic-controllers-causing-operational-disruptions)
Please share the following documents with your executive staff. If there is anything the FBI-AQ Team or I may do to better support you all and/or our communities, please do not hesitate to task us.
We will keep you all apprised of any new concerns from our end, which may affect your companies/facilities.
Thank you for the continued partnership and have a wonderful day/week.
(U) To support cyber resiliency within the water and wastewater sector (WWS), the FBI has published the attached PSA warning about attacks on internet-facing PLCs and urging mitigation measures. Separately, CISA published guidance on the targeting.
(U) The FBI is also highlighting previously released guidance co-authored with CISA and the EPA. This guidance emphasizes our joint commitment to support critical infrastructure entities against malicious cyber actors attempting to harm the United States:
- (U) Primary Mitigations to Reduce Cyber Threats to Operational Technology: Recommends immediate steps to protect OT systems, including removing internet exposure, changing default passwords, securing remote access, segmenting networks, and maintaining manual operating capabilities.
- (U) Water and Wastewater Sector Incident Response Guide: Explains how water utilities can prepare for, report, respond to, and recover from cyber incidents while coordinating with CISA, the FBI, EPA, and other partners.
- (U) Top Cyber Actions for Securing Water Systems: Outlines eight practical steps water systems can take to reduce cyber risk and identifies free tools, assessments, training, and technical support to help implement them.
(U) Additionally, attached to this email you will find a one-page handout (TLP: Amber+Strict) for private-sector executives and incident response teams explaining the high-value cyber threat information to share with the FBI to support faster, more effective investigations.
V/R,
Justin A. Garris
Special Agent in Charge
FBI Albuquerque
310-496-9377 (C)
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