Critical infrastructure giant Itron says it was hacked

Itron, a leading American energy technology firm, has disclosed that it fell victim to a cyberattack in mid-April, allowing hackers to infiltrate some of its systems. The revelation came in a mandatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where the company stated it was made aware of the breach by an undisclosed source. While Itron successfully expelled the intruders from its systems, it has not specified the nature of the cyberattack. Details remain scarce as to whether ransomware was involved or if the hackers directly contacted the company. Importantly, Itron has not observed any unauthorized activity within the 'customer-hosted portion' of its systems, indicating that the breach may be confined to its IT network. The company has taken steps to notify law enforcement about the incident and activated its contingency plans along with data backups. Operations have reportedly continued without major disruption; however, Itron warned that it may need to issue additional legal filings and regulatory notifications as the situation develops. This raises concerns about a potential data breach, which could necessitate compliance with state data breach notification laws. Based in Liberty Lake, WA, Itron specializes in technologies designed to manage energy consumption across various utilities, including water, gas, and electricity. The firm serves over 110 million households and businesses globally, partnering with thousands of customers, including municipalities across more than 100 countries. As of now, the company has not clarified who is responsible for managing its cybersecurity measures, and attempts to reach a spokesperson for further details have gone unanswered.