Federal watchdog finds chemical facilities vulnerable to cyberattacks

Chemical facilities are vulnerable to crippling cyberattacks due to outdated government cybersecurity guidance, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded in a report released this week. The report released Thursday found that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the security of “high-risk” chemical facilities through the Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards program, hasn't updated cybersecurity guidance for those facilities in more than a decade. “A successful cyberattack against chemical facilities’ information and process control systems can disrupt or shut down operations and lead to serious consequences, such as health and safety risks, including substantial loss of life,” the GAO wrote.