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During an April 2024 cybersecurity hearing focusing on critical water infrastructure, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., expressed grave concerns about potential catastrophic consequences. "As the chairman of the subcommittee responsible for dams, I don’t want to wake up to a news report about a small town in the Pacific Northwest getting wiped out because of a cyberattack against a private dam upriver," he said. Despite the alarmist language, the concerns raised by Wyden are backed by experts, considering the vulnerability of the sector to cyberattacks and the potential loss of human lives. Padriac O'Reilly, a water cyber risk advisor for the Defense Department and chief innovation officer of the cyber risk firm CyberSaint, emphasized the serious implications, highlighting the lack of comprehensive cyber audits and the limited oversight workforce. While only 5% of the 91,827 dams in the United States fall under federal regulation, reports reveal an alarming crisis in dam infrastructure nationwide, with most dams being nearly 50 years old. However, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) cybersecurity requirements for commercial dam operators haven't been updated since 2016. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency, responsible for dams sector risk management, relies on outdated strategic guidance from 2015. Rex Booth, CISA's former chief of cyber threat analysis and CISO of SailPoint, emphasized that the water industry, including dams, is considered among the least secure sectors regarding cybersecurity. The slow pace of cybersecurity adaptation within the water sector and the absence of federal support exacerbate the risks. Wyden raised concerns about FERC's lack of resources to audit dams, pointing out that the commission's cybersecurity rules apply only to dams remotely managed over the internet, allowing companies to save costs. He urged Congress to address these gaps and accelerate the development of cybersecurity standards. Until then, experts warn that U.S. dam infrastructure remains highly vulnerable to cyberattacks, potentially leading to severe health emergencies or fatalities. FERC is currently developing new cybersecurity guidance for the dam sector, expected to be completed within the next nine months. This initiative comes in response to a recent Department of Homeland Security report criticizing Microsoft's security practices, a concern considering many dam operators rely on Microsoft products and applications. With the increasing modernization of dam functionality, experts anticipate a growing risk of cyberattacks targeting operational technology within the sector.