Michigan Reports Hacks on Water Systems Amid FBI Probe

Published 1 August 2026 · world

(Bloomberg) -- Michigan joined Minnesota in announcing cyberattacks on its state water supply, saying nine systems were the target of attacks that intelligence officials have

(Bloomberg) -- Michigan joined Minnesota in announcing cyberattacks on its state water supply, saying nine systems were the target of attacks that intelligence officials have blamed on Iran. Federal agencies have said at least seven states’ water systems were compromised, but didn’t name the states. No damage or injuries were reported. Minnesota authorities reported earlier in the week that at least 30 of the state’s water systems were targeted in a cyberattack. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Environmental Protection Agency said in a joint announcement Thursday that the cyber attackers targeted systems to remotely monitor and control equipment, including equipment used for remote access.

“We received a small number of reports from Michigan communities indicating activity consistent with what federal agencies described,” said Dale George, spokesman for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy on Saturday. “All systems continued to operate safely, issues were addressed by local operators, and there are no known impacts that posed a public health concern.” The FBI said that it is “fully engaged to protect critical infrastructure and we remain well-equipped to protect against cyber threats of all varieties,” but declined to comment on the specific attacks.

President Donald Trump blamed the attacks on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, whom he called “grossly incompetent” and “corrupt” and said he didn’t believe his intelligence analysts who, according to the New York Times, cited Iran as the likely culprit. “There was a cyber attack of 30 water plants, and I would blame it on Minnesota and the governor, the corrupt governor of Minnesota,” Trump said. “They like to say, ‘Oh, it’s Iran.’ Iran should be so lucky. Iran’s got bigger problems than worrying about Minnesota.” Tensions between Trump and Walz also ballooned after immigration authorities shot and killed two Americans during protests in Minneapolis in January.

(Updates with FBI comment in sixth paragraph.) More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

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