Water industry turns to AI and hackers for help after suspected Iran cyberattacks

EXCLUSIVEArtificial intelligenceArtificial intelligenceWater industry turns to AI and hackers for help after suspected Iran cyberattacksFor the new initiative, Vanderbilt University researchers will work to create “digital twins” of water system networks.Anisha Chopra / Getty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleAug. 7, 2026, 10:00 AM EDTBy Kevin CollierIn the wake of cyberattacks on American water systems and cutbacks to federal assistance programs, some water companies are turning to volunteers, smaller cybersecurity companies and an AI program from Vanderbilt University for help.A new initiative announced Friday would create a first-of-its-kind hub for water facilities to share information on cyberthreats and build specialized cybersecurity AI agents for plants that can’t afford human experts.The U.S. has around 150,000 water and wastewater facilities, many of which are located in rural parts of the country and can’t afford dedicated cybersecurity services or employees. Last week, dozens of them across at least seven states were targeted by hackers. Sources familiar with the investigations believe Iran was behind the cyberattacks, which came in the wake of U.S. strikes on Iranian infrastructure.While the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency and Environmental Protection Agency offer those facilities some advice and cybersecurity tools, those can require expertise that’s lacking in tiny facilities that can’t afford technical staff, and CISA has experienced repeated staffing cuts under the Trump administration. The government sometimes even goes so far as to blame water plants for being hacked: President Donald Trump said last week that Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz was at fault for the attacks on facilities in his state.Friday’s announcement, from the cybersecurity nonprofit Franklin, aims to fill in some of those security gaps. Born out of the country’s largest hacker conference, DEF CON, Franklin already acts as a matchmaking service, pairing underresour...