From Maroochy to French Supermarkets: Attacks on Industrial Systems Are Rising

In 2000, a new water treatment facility on Queensland's Sunshine Coast began suffering strange faults. Radio links to wastewater pumps failed and alarms did not sound. Over three months, more than 800,000 litres of untreated sewage flowed into local waterways. Staff first blamed teething problems at the new plant. The Maroochy incident became the first attributable case of operational technology (OT) hacking, and engineers, academics and governments still study it today.

OT is the hardware and software that monitors and controls physical machines, from power plants and traffic lights to conveyor belts and water treatment plants. The source article says OT hacking is now on the rise and will likely be supercharged by AI. Recent examples include hackers remotely raising fridge and freezer temperatures across hundreds of French supermarkets, and attacks on 30 US water systems, consistent with methods used by an Iranian-backed group. In June, a cyber incident halted milling and cane haulage at Australia's second-largest raw sugar producer, and a Russian-speaking group called The Gentleman claimed responsibility.

The article also notes that attacks have become more targeted. The Handala Hack group, said to operate under the Iranian government, claimed an attack on medical supplier Stryker. Although the target was a US company, the attack remotely wiped associated devices worldwide and put Australian hospitals on alert. The US CISA has warned of ongoing Iranian-affiliated cyber targeting.