American Water Works, a leading water supplier serving over 14 million people, announced on Monday that its computer networks and systems were compromised by hackers. The company has paused billing to customers as it investigates the incident.
The breach was discovered on Thursday, prompting American Water Works to take immediate action, including shutting down certain systems to protect customer data and prevent further harm to the environment. Although the company’s facilities and operations are not believed to be impacted, its ability to predict the full extent of the incident remains uncertain.
American Water Works is working closely with law enforcement agencies to investigate the nature and scope of the incident, which has also affected its stock price. Shares lost $5.58, or 3.9%, closing at $136.99, resulting in a market capitalization of $26.69 billion.
The incident comes amid growing concerns about alleged Chinese intelligence efforts to breach critical U.S. infrastructure networks, including water treatment facilities and broadband providers.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/security-hack-breach-american-water-works/