SUMMARY
According to the FBI, at least seven states have now been targeted in a growing wave of cyberattacks on critical water infrastructure across the country. Federal officials now reportedly believe Iran is the likely culprit. Liz Landers discussed more with Cynthia Kaiser, a former deputy assistant director of the FBI’s cyber division currently at Halcyon.
View the transcript of the story.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
News alternative: Check our recent segments from the News Hour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- How many states were affected by the cyberattacks described in this segment? How many sites were in Minnesota alone?
- Who is Cynthia Kaiser, and what is her background?
- Which nation does the federal government suspect is behind the attacks?
- What U.S. government agencies are involved in preventing and protecting against cyberattacks?
- Why are municipal water systems being targeted, according to Kaiser?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- Cynthia Kaiser discusses the risk of the "small attacks" and the lack of funding to protect against them. Why do you think funding for protection against these attacks isn't a higher priority?
- President Trump blamed Governor Tim Walz for the attacks, but his administration has fired nearly a third of the government employees that work to help prevent these attacks. What could the risk of future attacks look like if his proposed cuts to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) budget are passed?
Media literacy: The President’s blame on Gov. Walz overshadows the fact that multiple states have been affected by the cyberattacks. How important is it to focus on all of the states involved rather than immediately turn a dangerous situation into a political opportunity? For the people of Minnesota at risk, what could this messaging signal about the federal government’s willingness to step in?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Look at CISA’s page on Iranian cybersecurity risks. They have fact sheets, general information and also other resources on securing against online, physical and public threats. Explore each of these to learn more about the various kinds of risks, and then consider the following questions:
- Were there any suggestions for preventing risk that you’ve heard of? Were any of them new to you?
- CISA’s mission is to protect against these attacks, but as previously mentioned, they’re at risk of losing more employees and key funding. What aspects of CISA action would be most compromised if they are understaffed and/or underfunded?
Written by Alyssa Tinoco, News Hour Classroom intern, and PBS News Hour's Vic Pasquantonio
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