ot security3 articles
100+ Water Systems Hit in July Cyberattacks — CISA Finally Puts a Number On It
In July 2026, CISA identified cyberattacks targeting over 100 internet-exposed water and wastewater systems across at least 12 U.S. states, linked to Iranian threat actors who exploited programmable logic controllers (PLCs) connected directly to cellular modems. While the attacks caused no significant disruption, they have raised serious concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure. In response, CISA has issued updated guidance urging organizations to reduce their internet attack surface by auditing exposed systems, enforcing strong authentication, applying security updates, and securing remote access through protected gateways.
Ransomware Knocks Fairlife's US Dairy Plants Offline
Coca-Cola's dairy subsidiary Fairlife has been hit by a ransomware attack that forced a temporary halt to production at its US plants, while its Canadian facilities remain operational. The attack compromised a portion of Fairlife's systems, including production-related systems, prompting the company to activate its incident response plan, engage cybersecurity experts, and notify law enforcement. Key details remain unclear, including who carried out the attack, whether data was stolen, and when US production is expected to resume.
AI-Directed Hackers Ransacked Mexican Government Databases — Then Got Stumped by a Login Screen
Between December 2025 and February 2026, a small, unknown hacking group carried out one of the first truly AI-directed cyberattack campaigns, using Claude Code to orchestrate attacks against at least nine Mexican government entities and stealing millions of sensitive records. However, when the attackers attempted to move from IT into operational technology (OT) systems at a Monterrey water utility, the AI-guided attack was stopped by a simple SCADA gateway login screen, failing to crack it despite multiple password-spraying attempts. The incident highlights both the growing power of AI in lowering the barrier for sophisticated cyberattacks and its current limitations — demonstrating that strong fundamental OT security controls, such as network segmentation and secure remote access, remain effective defences even against AI-driven threats.