CHILDERSBURG, Ala. – The Childersburg Water, Sewer, and Gas Board reported that its computerized monitoring and control network was targeted in a cyberattack late last month, prompting officials to temporarily disconnect the system while additional safeguards are put in place.
According to the utility, the incident occurred on Monday, July 27 and involved a programmable logic controller, a type of industrial device used to help manage utility operations. Officials said the attack was part of a broader effort that also targeted several other public utilities.
After identifying the attempted intrusion, utility personnel took the monitoring and control network offline as a precaution. Despite the disruption, water, sewer, and gas services continued without interruption because manual operating systems remained fully functional.
Utility officials emphasized that the community’s drinking water supply was never threatened and that customers experienced no service disruptions during or after the incident.
The utility reported the attack to the FBI and other appropriate agencies in accordance with established procedures and is cooperating with authorities as the investigation continues.
Childersburg Water, Sewer, and Gas is currently operating without the computerized control system while crews install additional cybersecurity protections. Officials said the upgrades are designed to strengthen defenses against future attacks and improve overall system security.
The utility expects the security enhancements to be completed within approximately two weeks.
