Overview
- Hackers targeted automatic tank gauges, the devices that track fuel in underground tanks, at stations in multiple states, US officials said Friday.
- Attackers accessed gauges that were left online without passwords, which let them change on-screen readings but not the actual fuel levels.
- Investigators have not seen physical damage, though experts warn that control of a gauge could hide a leak and slow a shutdown.
- Iran-linked actors are the leading suspect based on past targeting of these systems, yet the limited digital evidence may keep investigators from naming a culprit with certainty.
- Researchers have warned for years that exposed gauges are easy targets, citing Trend Micro tests in 2015 and a 2021 report that flagged the devices, and authorities say probes are ongoing as CISA was asked for comment and the FBI declined to comment.