Is America’s Drinking Water the Next Front in the Iran War?

Over the past week, a growing number of municipalities across the United States have reported that their water systems were hacked. The Times has found that the attacks were most likely perpetrated by Iran.

Today, Dustin Volz, a cybersecurity and intelligence correspondent for The New York Times, explains how the hacking exposes yearslong failed efforts to shore up vulnerabilities in U.S. infrastructure, and how Iran may be seeking a new kind of leverage that could extend the war’s reach to within U.S. borders and affect something as elemental as the water we drink.

Guest: Dustin Volz, a cybersecurity and intelligence correspondent for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• Federal and state officials are racing to address an assault on the nation’s water supply.
• Cyberattacks on water systems nationwide that affected Michigan and Minnesota also included at least five more states. Evidence points to Iranian involvement.

Photo: Jenn Ackerman for The New York Times

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

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