How important is cybersecurity to achieving water security?

Abstract

Attaining Water Security is essential to achieve sustainable development. Water Security implies having access to adequate amounts of water of acceptable quality, but it also requires safeguarding the water resource and having an efficient and sustainable water sector. Today, the security of this sector is affected by cyberattacks. Cyber threats have increased exponentially in the last five years. It is estimated that every 39 seconds a new attack occurs somewhere on the world wide web. However, cybersecurity in the Latin America and the Caribbean water sector is in an incipient stage. This vulnerability of the sector endangers the country’s Water Security. This article presents a broad vision of the concept of water security and illustrates the real threat of cyberattacks, identifying the various elements that can be targeted by cybercriminals. The final considerations aim to suggest actions to raise awareness of the water sector in the face of the dangers of cybernetic attacks and to take steps to consolidate cybersecurity to facilitate or strengthen Sustainable Water Security.