Cyber Volunteers Shield 21 Rural Water Systems From Hackers

Cybersecurity professionals are volunteering to protect small town water systems that can't afford their own digital defenses, and the results are already saving critical infrastructure.

DEF CON Franklin launched in late 2024 as the nation's first program connecting volunteer security experts with rural water utilities. The initiative pairs public-spirited hackers from the DEF CON conference with the roughly 50,000 community water systems that keep America's taps running.

The program's timing couldn't be better. Recent cyberattacks linked to Iran have targeted water utilities across multiple states, exposing how vulnerable these essential services really are. Most small water systems have tiny budgets and aging equipment, making them easy targets for hackers looking to cause chaos.

So far, 27 volunteers have deployed to 21 utilities in seven states. The help they're providing goes beyond quick fixes. Volunteers guide staff through basic security steps like changing default passwords and setting up multifactor authentication, but they also tackle bigger challenges like mapping networks and creating incident response plans.

Why This Inspires

What makes Franklin special is how it bridges two very different worlds. Water system operators are often wary of outsiders, but the National Rural Water Association vouched for the program and recruited the first participants. That trust paid off.

Chelsie Johnson, who runs public works in Wilder, Idaho, called her experience with volunteer David Armstrong "phenomenal." Other utilities have praised volunteers for understanding their real needs and capabilities rather than overwhelming them with expensive solutions they can't maintain.

Almost none of the participating utilities had documented what to do during a cyberattack before Franklin arrived. Now they have clear plans and someone to call when questions arise. Many volunteers stay connected as a "phone-a-friend" resource even after their formal engagement ends.

The program founder, Jake Braun from the University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy, built Franklin around the legacy of Benjamin Franklin's first volunteer fire department. The concept is the same: neighbors helping neighbors protect their communities.

With state budgets tight and federal infrastructure support shrinking, volunteer programs like Franklin offer a stopgap solution for utilities with nowhere else to turn. It's not a complete fix for America's infrastructure challenges, but it's keeping water flowing safely in communities that desperately needed help.

Twenty-one towns now sleep a little easier knowing someone's watching their digital doors.