WC143 JulyAug 2025 - Magazine - Page 34
DRINKING WATER
There are valid use cases, however, for desktop sharing software
that do not violate PoLP and go well beyond operator access to
process information. For such systems it’s critical that the remote
desktop solutions be implemented with sound security.
There are several steps that utilities should take to improve
their cybersecurity:
Update any software to the latest version;
Deploy multifactor authentication;
Use strong passwords to protect remote desktop protocol
credentials;
Ensure anti-virus systems, spam filters and firewalls are up to
date, properly configured and secure.
Resiliency
Embracing cyber resiliency allows organizations to ensure
that critical systems can continue to function during and
after a cyber event. Resiliency is key because no system can
be made completely immune to cyber threats. Even with the
most sophisticated security measures in place, attacks can and
will happen. What’s important is how quickly and effectively
organizations can respond to these incidents, minimize
damage, and restore operations. One component of resiliency is
embracing and integrating advanced software technologies.
Data improves security and meets regulations
Tightening regulations on water quality, leakage management,
and water supplies are further pushing water utilities toward
digital solutions. Real-time data collection and management
technologies are becoming essential to ensure compliance, boost
operational efficiency, and improve resource management. Accurate, real-time data and predictive monitoring are also pivotal for
resilience, efficiency, and security. As utilities digitize, protecting
operational and customer information becomes paramount.
Advanced technologies and automated systems can provide
real-time alerts about potential cyber threats, ensuring robust
data protection. However, organizations may be challenged to
effectively manage and analyze the vast amount of data.
Water regulations in Canada are complex and involve
multiple layers of governance, including federal, provincial,
and municipal laws. Canadian water utilities are required
to submit various reports, primarily focused on drinking
water quality, wastewater treatment, and environmental
compliance. Automated third-party reporting software can
help with the labour-intensive reporting process by tracking all
areas in water utility plants and generating reports. These may
then be printed to send to regulatory agencies, emailed to a list
of recipients, or uploaded to the cloud for everyone to access.
The ability to harness this data effectively can lead to smarter
decision-making, and improved processes and efficiencies.
Additionally, advanced reporting technology provides
enhanced data entry and secure editing of reports to further
mitigate against compromised information.
The new normal
According to McKinsey & Company’s report, Critical
resilience: Adapting infrastructure to repel cyber threats,
cyberattacks should be thought of as a certainty akin to the
forces of nature. Just as engineers must consider the heaviest
rains that a dam may need to contain in the next century…
those digitizing infrastructure must plan for the worst in
considering how an attacker might abuse or exploit systems
that enable infrastructure monitoring and control. Cyber
resilience ensures CIs, like Canada’s water utilities, prepare,
resist, recover, and adapt in the event of cyberattacks. This
shift in thinking will begin to lay the path to connected
infrastructure that is resilient by design.
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WATER C AN ADA • JULY/AUGUS T 2025
WAT E R C A N A D A . N E T
