Hackers are targeting US water systems. Here’s what that means.

Government officials are warning about a wave of cyberattacks on water utilities in the US.

At least seven states have reported incidents to the FBI since July 27. The agency hasn’t identified the attackers’ motivation or identity, calling them only “malicious cyber actors” and saying they were remotely accessing internet-facing computers used by water utilities. The hackers changed settings, IP addresses, and passwords, the FBI said. In some cases, the attacks weakened the plant operators’ ability to monitor and control their equipment.

Cybersecurity experts have voiced concerns for years about cyber vulnerabilities in water systems and other…