Spotlight |
Cybersecurity in the age of digital dams
Tyler Owen is the Senior Director of Product Management for Managed Security Services in the US. Here he explains how digital dams are transforming water management, and why the industry’s rapid tech adoption is creating a prime target for cybercriminals
Below: Tyler Owen is the Senior Director of Product Management for Managed Security Services in the US. His experience encompasses the entire lifecycle of Information Security infrastructure projects, from pre-sales and planning through to implementation, daily maintenance, and management
AS WATER MANAGEMENT GOES digital, a new kind of threat is flowing in. Modern dam operators and utility providers are harnessing real-time data, automation, and connected systems to improve efficiency and safeguard resources. But with these advances comes a growing vulnerability: cyberattacks that can disrupt critical infrastructure, endanger public safety, and hold entire operations hostage.
A double-edged sword Dam management is becoming increasingly
efficient and accessible thanks to the emergence of technologies such as IoT (Internet of Things) sensor connectivity, AI data analysis, and digital twinning. The last of these, in particular, is helping to transform dam safety management for the better. A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical asset – in this case, a dam – and users can edit and monitor the digital structures for potential environmental or operational threats. However, as technology advances, water management firms face an increasing array of cyber threats. Up to seven out of ten IoT devices, for example, are considered vulnerable to cyberattacks [1]. There is a saying in the field of information security: the only way to truly secure anything is to isolate it from the network. Dams should be air-gapped from
10 | June 2025 |
www.waterpowermagazine.com
the Internet and not allowed to be connected to external networks. This is the only true method to keep unwanted attacks at bay. The cost of building out this network infrastructure is more costly though, and many utilities are already running on low budgets, so they might opt to take the less expensive route. However, for utilities that do make their infrastructure Internet-accessible, this article should provide some helpful guidance.
Vulnerabilities within digital dam management can lead hackers to disrupt operations and steal sensitive data, which could result in safety risks and loss of business reputation. And there are worrying trends affecting public drinking water systems, too. Research suggests around 9% of public drinking water operations have “critical” vulnerabilities in need of remediation [2]. To prevent the disruption of water facilities and data leakage, water firms (including those running digital dams) need to do more to protect themselves against malicious attacks. However, there are regulations and compliance notes to keep in mind.
Regulatory and compliance challenges When considering which cybersecurity measures to
set up to protect digital dams, companies need to be aware of several regulators and to keep in line with
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