Handala Hacking Group Claims Breach of California Water Service
The Iran-linked hacking group Handala has struck again, this time targeting the California Water Service (Cal Water). The group, which security researchers have been tracking closely throughout 2026, claims this move is retaliation for US actions in Iran.
Cal Water is a major utility serving two million people across 100 communities in California, making this a worrying event for public infrastructure.
The Attack on Cal Water
On 11 June 2026, the research firm Dataminr spotted the group boasting about a breach, publishing five gigabytes of data. While experts confirmed that the customer records from the utility’s Chico District were definitely hit, the leaked files also exposed network infrastructure across seven distinct operational areas, which include Bakersfield, Chico, Salinas, Stockton, Visalia, San Mateo, and a regional engineering segment.
Reportedly, leaked data comprises names, home addresses, phone numbers, account numbers, and payment history accessed from a customer billing database.
The hackers also...
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