How Prepared Are We for Cyberattacks on Cities, Water Systems?
How vulnerable are American cities and critical infrastructure like electrical grids, sewage treatment plants, and communications to cyber warfare?
A cyberattack on Suisun City over the weekend forced the city to shut down its network infrastructure and declare a state of emergency. City hall services remain closed. (boonchai wedmakawand/Getty Images)
Airdate: Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 9 AM
A cyberattack on Suisun City over the weekend forced the city to shut down its network infrastructure and declare a state of emergency. City hall services remain closed. In March, Foster City also declared a state of emergency after a similar attack. And two weeks ago, seven states across the country reported tampering with local water systems, a cyberattack attributed to Iran. How vulnerable are American cities and critical infrastructure like electrical grids, sewage treatment plants, and communications to cyber warfare?
Guests:
- Lauryn Williams, deputy director and senior fellow, Strategic Technologies Program, Center for Strategic & International Studies
- Ann Cleaveland, executive director, Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity, UC Berkeley
- Alma Hernandez, mayor, Suisun City
- Michael Elm, public information officer, Suisun City
- James Rundle, reporter covering cybersecurity, national cyber policy and privacy, Wall Street Journal