2025-08-04 –, Copa
Water is life.
In 2025, the threat landscape facing U.S. water infrastructure has grown more severe and immediate. Following the high-profile cyber intrusions of 2024—such as Volt Typhoon and Iran-linked Cyber Avengers—2025 has already seen a surge in attempted and successful breaches targeting municipal and rural water systems. These escalating threats are compounded by deteriorating trust and coordination between public and private sector stakeholders. This convergence of cyber vulnerability, regulatory fragility, and geopolitical tension creates a perfect storm—leaving our most essential infrastructure exposed at a time when resilience is most critical.
This panel will discuss threats to the water systems and opportunities to reduce these threats. In addition, the panel will feature a discussion about Cyber-Informed Engineering, and how following certain engineering practices can materially reduce risks from a variety of sources. The panelists will also outline practical steps for mitigation, emphasizing the urgent need for cross-sector collaboration, robust contingency planning, and public awareness. The time to act is now—before luck runs out.
Over 25 years of experience in the Automation Systems industry in leadership and management positions; directed sales, operations, and administrative teams in start-up, turnaround, and high-growth environments. Extensive background in automation, information and integration initiatives, identifying critical areas within businesses, manufacturing and other areas for systems implementations. Strong, decisive, and trailblazing leader with excellent planning, analytical, organizational, and team building skills. Grow top line revenues through aligning value propositions and offerings to marketplace. Promoter of the Automation Profession through extensive volunteer work.
Virginia “Ginger” Wright is the program manager for Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). She leads INL’s implementation of the National Strategy for Cyber-Informed Engineering developed by the Department of Energy. Ms. Wright has led multiple cyber research programs at INL including DOE-CESER’s Cyber Testing for Resilient Industrial Control Systems (CyTRICS™) program, Software Bills of Material for the Energy Sector, critical infrastructure modeling and simulation, and nuclear cybersecurity. Ms. Wright has a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems/Operations Management from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.