Tech · cyberattack · ArchiveU.S. Probing Iran Link to Cyberattack on 30+ Minnesota Water SystemsAired July 31, 2026 at 6:58 PM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00Federal investigators are working to0:01determine whether Iran orchestrated a0:03coordinated cyber attack on more than 300:06municipal water systems across0:07Minnesota. CBS News has learned the0:10attacks focused on technology used to0:12manage the facilities remotely. The0:14breach has already disrupted daily life0:16with a handful of towns temporarily0:18conserving water or running their0:20systems by hand, but officials stress0:22that drinking water remains safe. Since0:24Monday, the FBI says water and0:26wastewater utilities in at least seven0:28states have reported incidents, and in0:31some cases the hacks led to pressure0:32loss and flooding. This is not the first0:34time. A group tied to Iran's Islamic0:37Revolutionary Guard Corps used a similar0:39playbook to breach water facilities in0:412023. Now federal agents are racing to0:44identify who is behind the latest wave.0:46The 2023 operation gave attackers0:48practice in infiltrating critical0:50infrastructure. Today's breach shows0:52they have refined their focus, zeroing0:54in on the software that lets cities0:56manage water from afar. Water and0:58wastewater systems are increasingly1:00attractive targets because they are1:01often small, understaffed, and reliant1:04on aging equipment that was later1:05connected to the internet. Even limited1:07disruptions can create fear far beyond1:09any immediate damage. Investigators are1:12not ruling out the possibility that1:14someone wants to appear Iranian-based,1:16exploiting the rising conflict overseas.1:19That uncertainty leaves communities on1:20edge as agents work to uncover the1:22truth.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗