‘That really saved us': Mayor explains why hackers failed to seize NJ water system

💧Hackers targeted municipal water systems in Cape May and Woodbine

💧Officials say drinking water was never affected by the attacks

💧Cape May's limited automation may have helped prevent a bigger breach

Hackers targeted two South Jersey municipal water systems during the week, but they ran into an unexpected obstacle — much of the equipment wasn't connected to the internet.

The New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell confirmed attacks were made on two New Jersey municipal water utilities but did not disclose the systems affected or when the attacks happened. At least 30 attempts have been made in seven states to digitally break into municipal systems, according to the FBI.

Hackers tried to seize control of small computers used to operate equipment such as pumps and valves that help deliver drinking water to millions of people. Actual water service was never impacted.

The attacks temporarily limited the utilities' ability to remotely monitor or manage vulnerable internet-connected control systems.

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Woodbine water tower

Cape May's older system may have helped stop the hackers

Whoever hacked the utilities picked the wrong systems in Cape May.

"Most of our systems in both Woodbine and in Cape May are not automated. It's not online. And that really saved us," Cape May Mayor Zach Mullock told 6 ABC Action News.

In a joint statement, Mullock and Woodbine Mayor William Pikolycky said the safety and quality of public drinking water in either municipality were not impacted. No personal information was accessed by the hack.

Pikolycky said that his borough's water system can quickly detect attempts to take control of the system.

"Bad actors were only successful in interrupting our phone communication to the water system. This resulted in a few bad hours for the Borough of Woodbine Water Department personnel as they reactivated the system manually and consulted with the contractor, CISA, Homeland Security and the FBI. Once the information gathering was complete, the system was back online with no further issues," Pikolycky said.

Cape May water system serves several communities

Mullock said his water system supplies the City of Cape May, West Cape May, Lower Township, Cape May Point, and the United States' only Coast Guard Training Center located in Cape May City.

The city is also working with the state to ensure its water desalination plant is protected.

The mayors said that Gov. Mikie Sherrill, Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Hill and Rep. Jeff Van Drew have been made aware of the attack.

NJ cybersecurity officials haven't confirmed the targets

The NJCCIC on Friday morning did not respond to New Jersey 101.5's request to confirm if the Cape May and Woodbine attacks were the attacks they addressed in their earlier statement.

For now, officials say the cyberattacks did not affect the safety or quality of drinking water in either municipality.

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