Free Tools to Assist with Cybersecurity

1)      Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Free Tools

 CISA is a federal agency that provides a wide range of free cybersecurity resources including their “Top Cyber Actions for Water Systems” and more importantly they offer a free vulnerability scanning tool. This allows utilities to sign up to have these professionals regularly monitor your internet-connected devices for vulnerabilities, weak configurations, and security practices. Basically, they will mock-attack your system and report to you with any vulnerabilities identified and the actions you should take to correct the vulnerability. A utility can sign up by emailing CISA with a request, complete a form, and wait 10 days for scanning to begin. A link for CISA tools is: https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/risk-and-vulnerability-assessments

2)      Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center (WaterISAC) Free Tools

WaterISAC is an industry leader for how water & wastewater utilities approach cybersecurity. They identify that utilities in the water sector are under-prepared for cyber threats, and the potential impacts these threats pose to our IT and OT systems. They track attacks threatening our industry and provide case study-based recommendations for low to no cost physical security improvements. 

WaterISAC has also developed an agreement with the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) to provide free services to all small utilities serving a population of 3,300 or less who are members of their state rural water association. So, if you are a member of NYRWA and serve a population of 3,300 or less, you qualify for free membership services provided by WaterISAC. More information is available here: https://www.waterisac.org/tools

3)      American Water Works Association (AWWA) Risk Management Tool

AWWA has created a cybersecurity self-assessment tool that is free of charge to utilities. Regardless of whether you are a member, you may register and utilize the free assessment tool. This self-assessment is a series of 11 questions that can be answered by most small system operations specialists in conjunction with the systems clerk or billing clerk. Once the assessment is completed, you will have the ability to print a professionally designed report that provides the questions along with your answers and also provides potential next steps to be taken to minimize your systems’ vulnerabilities. The tool offers much more information, but again, this is a sound starting point for any water or wastewater utility. The self-assessment tool may be found at: https://cybersecurity.awwa.org/