NAC-ISSA August lunch: Understanding Cybersecurity in America’s Water Systems

Recent cyber attacks against drinking water and wastewater utilities have raised important questions about the security of one of our nation’s most essential critical infrastructure sectors. This lunchtime presentation takes participants inside the world of municipal water operations, explaining how treatment plants, pumping stations, storage facilities, and industrial control systems work together to deliver safe drinking water and protect public health. We will explore why these operational technologies differ from traditional IT systems, how cyber threats can disrupt physical processes, what recent incidents reveal about the evolving threat landscape, and which practical engineering and cybersecurity measures can most effectively improve resilience. Whether you are a cybersecurity professional, utility operator, or simply interested in critical infrastructure, this session will provide a practical understanding of why securing the water sector has become a matter of both public safety and national security.

Speaker: Marcus Sachs

This lunch is on the fourth Thursday rather than our usual Tuesday lunch and it will be held at Gigaparts on University Drive. This change is for one month after which we will be back on our usual schedule and location. Lunch begins just before 11:30. Catering is Walton’s Southern Table.