Small Kansas Water Utility System Hacking Highlights Risks

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Wyatt Travnichek, 22, was charged last month with remotely accessing the Post Rock Rural Water District’s systems in March 2019, about two months after he quit his job with the utility. He’s accused of shutting down the facility’s cleaning and disinfecting procedures.

When he worked for the utility, he would monitor the water plant remotely by logging into its computer system, the Kansas City Star reports.

The federal indictment says Travnichek used a Samsung phone to commit the offense. Post Rock utility officials declined to provide further details. Travnichek’s attorney, a federal public defender, didn’t respond to the Star’s request for comment.

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