Ransomware attack disrupts Puerto Rico water authority customer service and meter-reading operations

On March 13, 2023, Puerto Rico's Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados experienced a ransomware attack affecting its customer-service computer systems. The disruption initially interrupted customer assistance at service centers and disabled several electronic account-management functions. The incident also prevented normal meter-reading activities, requiring the authority to issue estimated customer bills based on historical consumption until the affected applications could be restored. The authority coordinated its investigation with government cybersecurity and law-enforcement agencies and later confirmed that customer and employee personal information had been compromised. Available evidence supports substantial disruption to customer service, billing and meter-reading processes but does not establish interruption of water production or distribution.