US utilities faced a nearly 70% jump in cyber attacks this year over the same period in 2023, according to data from Check Point Research, underscoring the growing threat to critical infrastructure.
Utilities and energy infrastructure across the US are increasingly vulnerable as the grid rapidly expands to meet growing energy demand and digital assets.
Utilities are the low-hanging fruit of cyberattacks because many of them run outdated software, said Douglas McKee of cyber security firm SonicWall.
So far, the attack has not disabled any US utility, but industry experts warn a coordinated effort could be dangerous, affecting essential services and causing significant financial losses.
There were 1,162 cyber attacks on average during August this year, compared to 689 in 2023, Check Point data showed.
The energy sector is considered vulnerable to such attacks. In May 2021, oil pipeline operator Colonial Pipeline was forced to shut down the entire network due to a massive cyber attack on the energy industry.
Recently, the US oilfield services company Halliburton disclosed that an unauthorized third party had accessed and deleted data from its systems.
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