NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 8, 2021

Janice Bennett
Public Works Director
City of Oldsmar
(813) 749-1136
nbennett@myoldsmar.com

Emergency Contained at the Bruce T. Haddock Water Treatment Plant
City working with other water treatment plant to ensure the nation's critical infrastructure

Oldsmar, Florida — On Tuesday, February 9, 2021, the Bruce T. Haddock Water Treatment Plant in Oldsmar, Florida, was penetrated by a cyber hacker in an effort to poison the local drinking water. A plant operator noticed the change and quickly reversed the levels before the adversary could release the chemical into the water supply. There was no significant effect on the water supply, and at no time was the public in danger.

The Pinellas County Digital Forensics Unit is in charge of the investigation into the unauthorized access to the plant's supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. The hacker adjusted the amount of sodium hydroxide or lye -- the main ingredient in drain cleaner from 100 parts per million to 11,100 parts per million. At such a high level, it is considered corrosive to any human tissue it touches. According to the Centers for Disease Control, if ingested in large amounts, sodium hydroxide can cause vomiting, chest and abdominal pain. 

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the FBI, and the Multi-State Information Sharing center issued an alert stating, "Microsoft, the FBI, and other industry professionals strongly recommend upgrading computer systems to an actively supported operating system. Not doing so presents vulnerabilities for cyber actors to exploit." The agencies also warned others who use the Teamviewer software to leverage two-factor verification and keep entry logs.

The Oldsmar Bruce T. Haddock Water Treatment Plant's attack highlights concerns about the nation's critical infrastructure's security, especially for local municipalities. We take this cyber attack seriously and make public safety our top priority. We plan to use this event to revamp our systems and assist others to prepare for future cyberattacks. The Oldsmar Mayor and plant officials will meet with other municipalities to share lessons learned from the cyber attack and reinforce the need to be vigilant.

For additional information, contact Janice Bennett, Public Works Director at (813) 749-1136, nbennett@myoldsmar.com, or visit the City of Oldsmar, Water Division Website.­

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