Michigan officials reported incidents at local water utilities that mirror recent cyber disruptions in Minnesota, but said systems remained safe and local operators resolved the issues. The FBI says that since 27 July 2026, utilities in at least seven states reported incidents that degraded operations after attackers accessed internet-facing devices and altered IP addresses and passwords. CISA warned of cyber activity linked to individuals associated with Iran; media reports and U.S. officials have cited possible Iranian connections, while political leaders traded conflicting accusations.
Michigan Reports Similar Water-System Disruptions After Minnesota Cyberattacks as FBI Investigates
FILE PHOTO: Network cable in the a server room. (is associated with: «After cyberattack on Minnesota, Michigan hit too») Sebastian Kahnert/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
Following cyberattacks that disrupted water supply systems in Minnesota, Michigan officials have disclosed similar incidents affecting local utilities.
A spokesman for Michigan's Department of Environment told dpa on Saturday: "We have received a few reports from communities in Michigan that showed activities consistent with the descriptions from the federal authorities." He emphasized that affected systems continued to operate safely and that local operators had resolved the reported issues. "No impacts are known that would pose a risk to public health," he added.
Federal Agencies Report Widespread Incidents
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said that since 27 July 2026, Water and Wastewater Sector (WWS) utility companies in at least seven U.S. states have reported incidents to the agency, with some of that activity degrading water operations.
"After remotely accessing internet-facing devices, the actors changed the IP addresses and passwords, resulting in a loss of monitoring and control functionality," the FBI said. The agency did not specify a culprit.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has warned about cyber operations by individuals linked to Iran that have targeted government services, water and wastewater systems, and the energy sector. CISA's advisory highlights the broader threat environment but does not attribute every incident to a single actor.
Media Reports and Political Reaction
U.S. media reported that dozens of water-supply systems in Minnesota were targeted this week, with at least one system temporarily taken offline. The Washington Post and the New York Times cited U.S. officials and investigators who said intelligence assessments and probe findings pointed to Iranian-linked hackers, while also noting those conclusions were not final.
In contrast, President Donald Trump publicly blamed Minnesota's Democratic governor Tim Walz, calling him "incompetent." Top Democratic officials in Minnesota described the president's remarks as baseless. Governor Walz posted on X that "Trump knows exactly who is responsible for this attack, and knows that other states were hit too," adding that the incidents "illustrate there's no plan to win a war with Iran."
What Officials Urge
Authorities have urged utilities to check internet-facing devices, review account credentials, and restore monitoring and control access securely. Investigations by federal and state agencies remain ongoing.
Key sources: FBI, CISA, Michigan Department of Environment, dpa, The Washington Post, The New York Times.
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