In Florida city, a hacker tried to poison the drinking water


Communities should take every precaution possible when using remote access technology on something as critical as a water supply. — 123rf.com

A hacker gained entry to the system controlling the water treatment plant of a Florida city of 15,000 and tried to taint the water supply with a caustic chemical, exposing a danger cybersecurity experts say has grown as systems become both more computerised and accessible via the Internet.

The hacker who breached the system at the city of Oldsmar's water treatment plant on Friday using a remote access program shared by plant workers briefly increased the amount of sodium hydroxide by a factor of one hundred (from 100 parts per million to 11,100 parts per million), Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said during a news conference Monday.

Get 30% off with our ads free Premium Plan!

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month
RM9.73 only

Billed as RM9.73 for the 1st month then RM13.90 thereafters.

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month
RM8.63/month

Billed as RM103.60 for the 1st year then RM148 thereafters.

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Hacking

   

Next In Tech News

The one thing Apple needs to get right in 2025 has nothing to do with the next iPhone
When AI chatbots show signs of potential dementia
Opinion: I’m a video gamer? It surprises me, too. Experts say fast fun hits us at any age
Smartwatch technology could help people quit smoking, study finds
A look ahead to the highly anticipated video games of 2025
Microsoft plans to invest $80 billion on AI-enabled data centers in fiscal 2025
US regulator warned banks on crypto but did not order halt to business, documents show
AI twice as accurate as doctors in determining stroke time
Turo-rented cars were involved in two deadly US incidents this New Year’s. Here’s what we know
China to subsidise smartphone purchases in bid to lift spending

Others Also Read