Water runs on small computers in places nobody visits.
Wells, pump stations, towers, and lift stations each have a controller, a screen, and a link back to the plant.
BOOK THREE / A UTILITY LEADER’S GUIDE
When the Water System Loses Sight.
How utilities can secure connected controls without interrupting essential service.
The complete book. No form or registration.
THE FOUR IDEAS THIS BOOK HANGS ON
Start with the trunk.
Every story and number in this book is a branch off four ideas. Hold these, and the details have somewhere to hang.
Remote access built a road from the internet to the pump.
Exposed screens, factory passwords, and vendor links left doors open, with a few busy operators to watch them.
Water has no undo button.
Shut down the wrong thing and you cause the outage the attacker wanted. Every fix has to be narrow.
Done means two checks pass.
The door is closed. The pump still answers the operator, and the alarm still sounds.
READ AT YOUR OWN PACE
Nine chapters. One essential service.
A letter before we begin: To the people who keep the water running
CHAPTER 01
The Pump Station Nobody Was Watching
A town's water runs on small computers in places nobody visits.
CHAPTER 02When the Operator Loses the Screen
In July 2026, more than 30 Minnesota water systems were hit in one night.
CHAPTER 03Every Pump Has a Password
The attack doesn't need to be clever when the door is open.
CHAPTER 04Five Doors Into the Control Room
Attackers take the easy way in. In water, there are five.
CHAPTER 05See the Controller Without Touching It
In a water plant, a careless scan can do the attacker's job for him.
CHAPTER 06Which Change Could Affect the Water?
Some fixes are free. Some could change the water.
CHAPTER 07Contain the Connection, Keep the Pump Running
Cut off the attacker. Keep the water flowing.
CHAPTER 08The Alarm Has to Work Too
Kicking out the attacker is only half the job.
CHAPTER 09Ten Minutes With the Utility Board
Boards think in safe water, steady service, and public trust. Speak that language.
KNOW WHAT YOU ARE READING
The evidence labels.
Observed
A NetOps IQ engagement, with the customer unnamed. The water account is a simulated attack during a pilot, not a real attack.
Independent sources
Numbered references link to dated reports. The source notes identify the publisher and the events each report supports.
Illustrative
An example built to explain the method. It is not presented as a measured customer result.
START WITH ONE SITE
Keep control of the water.
Findavi Operational Blind Spot Assessment
A scoped, on-site, listen-only assessment of connected devices, exposed paths, accountable owners, and supported response options.
One treatment plant, one set of remote pump stations, or one radio network. A typical assessment takes a few days, depending on the size of the site.
Request an assessmentThe assessment only listens. Taking action is part of a full Findavi deployment, and always needs your approval.