Ramon Sanchez, the city manager of Muleshoe, recounted the harrowing moments when the city’s water tank overflowed for over half an hour, highlighting the real-world consequences of such cyber intrusions.
This attack adds to a growing list of Sandworm’s alleged exploits, including previous assaults on Ukraine’s power grid and disruptive actions during the 2018 Olympic Games in South Korea.
The United States has not been spared from Sandworm’s reach, with the Department of Justice charging six members of the group in 2020 for their involvement in various cybercrimes. They are known to have created the infamous NotPetya.
The computer virus, which wreaked havoc on computer systems globally, causing billions of dollars in damages. It was also used by hackers to disrupt vital services such as the power grid in Ukraine and hospital operations in Western Pennsylvania.
US officials attributed a separate water system attack in Pennsylvania to Iran. But the Muleshoe incident is a stark reminder of the persistent and evolving threats by state-sponsored cyber actors.
