White House rolls out free cyber defenses for U.S. water systems

The administration plans to unveil a pilot program offering free cybersecurity services to vulnerable U.S. water facilities, beginning in Texas as a proof of concept, in response to a wave of attacks believed linked to Iran. Led by the Office of the National Cyber Director, the program would provide tools like network vulnerability scanning through private contractors, with expansion possible to other states. The effort comes amid bipartisan push in Congress and warnings from federal agencies about rising threats to water utilities and critical infrastructure, while concerns are raised about relying on private firms to fill government gaps.