Iran-Linked Hackers Are Inside Water Systems in at Least 12 States

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Practical preparedness for uncertain times

I know people who grew up during the Cold War. Duck-and-cover drills. Nuclear anxiety as a background hum. Then the Berlin Wall fell and everyone stopped thinking about it. Now, with geopolitical tensions cycling through the news again, the questions are back. Readers ask about nuclear preparedness more than almost any other topic. Most of what they've read online is either terrifying fiction or useless reassurance. This week, we do what this newsletter always does: state the facts, assess the risk, and take practical action.

Here's what I've got today:

Nuclear Awareness: Facts Over Fear

This newsletter doesn't do fear. But it also doesn't ignore real threats because they're uncomfortable to discuss. Nuclear and radiological events exist on a spectrum from "industrial accident" to "strategic exchange," and the preparation for each is different.

The most likely nuclear scenario for Americans is not a warhead. It's a transportation accident involving radioactive materials, a nuclear power plant incident, or a radiological dispersal device ("dirty bomb"). These are localized events with specific, manageable responses.

For any radiological event, the core principles are: time, distance, and shielding. Minimize time near the source. Maximize distance from the source. Put dense material (concrete, earth, brick) between you and the source. A basement with concrete walls provides substantial shielding. An interior room on a lower floor is the next best option.

Shelter-in-place is the primary response for most radiological events. Close all windows and doors. Turn off HVAC systems that draw outside air. Seal gaps with plastic sheeting and tape (Issue 14). Stay inside until authorities provide guidance. Fallout (radioactive particles carried by wind) settles over hours to days. Staying inside during this period dramatically reduces exposure.

Potassium iodide (KI) protects the thyroid from radioactive iodine, a specific isotope released during nuclear reactor incidents. It does not protect against all radiation. KI is available without prescription (see WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING for pricing). The FDA recommends keeping it available if you live within 10 miles of a nuclear power plant.

The honest risk assessment: a full-scale nuclear exchange remains extremely low probability. A localized radiological event (plant accident, transportation incident, dirty bomb) is low probability but non-negligible. The preparation for either overlaps significantly with preparation you already have: shelter-in-place capability, stored water and food, communication plan, and the ability to stay inside for 1 to 3 days.

What's overblown: the idea that nuclear preparedness requires a bunker, a radiation suit, or a Geiger counter. What's practical: knowing your nearest shelter options, having KI if you're near a nuclear facility, and being able to shelter in place for 72 hours with sealed windows.

Find out if you live within 20 miles of a nuclear power plant.

Search "NRC nuclear power plant map" and check your location. If you're within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone, obtain KI tablets and familiarize yourself with your county's nuclear emergency plan.

America Is Building Nuclear Power at a Pace Not Seen in Decades

The Department of Energy is targeting 400 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2050, roughly four times today's ~100 GW, backed by $26.5 billion in loans for reactor uprates and license renewals and a $2.7 billion push for domestic uranium enrichment. Eleven small modular reactor pilot projects are moving through the federal pipeline, and in March, TerraPower's Natrium design received the first-ever NRC construction permit for a commercial non-light-water reactor. A $40 billion US-Japan partnership aims to bring 3 gigawatts of new baseload power online in Tennessee and Alabama.

More reactors means more communities newly inside an Emergency Planning Zone. If one is proposed near you, check the NRC map in THE LINK DUMP before you need it, not after.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy

Jonathan Hollerman addresses nuclear scenarios in Survival Theory and Survival Theory II with the analytical rigor of a SERE instructor. His assessment: the nuclear threat is real but often misrepresented. The survivability of most nuclear scenarios is much higher than popular culture suggests. The Hiroshima and Nagasaki survivors included people relatively close to the detonation who sheltered effectively.

Hollerman's practical recommendation: prepare for the effects (blast, heat, fallout, infrastructure damage) rather than the cause. Fallout sheltering is essentially extended shelter-in-place with attention to air filtration. Blast protection is a function of distance and structure. Both are enhanced by the same preparations you'd make for any extended disruption.

Iran-Linked Hackers Are Inside Water Systems in at Least 12 States

Since late July, a hacking group with ties to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps has exploited an unpatched, critical flaw in Rockwell Automation controllers used to run water and wastewater treatment plants. The FBI and CISA confirmed attackers changed passwords, altered IP settings, and rewrote control logic at affected utilities, in some cases causing pressure loss and localized flooding. Minnesota and Clayton County, Georgia both issued precautionary boil-water notices; Clayton County's was lifted after testing found no contamination. Roughly 70% of the water utilities inspected since 2023 have failed basic cybersecurity compliance checks, and federal officials warn the sector remains an easy target for further attacks.

Keep at least a week of stored water (one gallon per person per day) and a way to purify more. A boil-water notice is a minor inconvenience if you're already stocked, and a real problem if you're not.

Source: Washington Post, FBI

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iOSAT Potassium Iodide Tablets (130mg, 14-Pack)

These are FDA-approved KI tablets for thyroid protection during nuclear events involving radioactive iodine release. Each tablet provides 24 hours of thyroid protection for an adult. The 14-pack covers two adults for a week.

We store them with our medical supplies, sealed in their original packaging. Shelf life is approximately 6 to 7 years when stored properly (cool, dry, dark). If you live within roughly 50 miles of a nuclear facility, KI is a reasonable precaution even outside the primary Emergency Planning Zone. About $20 for a 14-pack.

Budget alternative: Know your distance from the nearest nuclear facility and your evacuation routes. If you're outside 50 miles, KI is less critical than if you're within 10. The free knowledge of your location relative to facilities is the first preparation.

Overrated: Geiger counters for household preparedness. Unless you have training in interpreting readings, the numbers are meaningless. Official monitoring and guidance will tell you what you need to know. A $200 Geiger counter doesn't help if you don't know what the reading means.

Underrated: Your basement as a fallout shelter. A below-grade concrete basement provides substantial radiation shielding. The earth and concrete between you and the outside reduces exposure by 90% or more. You likely already have the best shelter available.

Ready.gov: Nuclear Explosion: Federal guidance on nuclear event preparedness and response.

NRC: Nuclear Power Plant Locations: Map of all US nuclear facilities with emergency planning zones.

Nuclear War Survival Skills (free PDF): Cresson Kearny's comprehensive guide, available free.

REMM (Radiation Emergency Medical Management): Medical guidance for radiation exposure.

KI4U.com: Potassium iodide information and nuclear preparedness resources.

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PS: The Cold War taught a generation to fear nuclear war. This newsletter teaches practical response. The preparation for a nuclear event, shelter in place with stored supplies for 72 hours, is almost identical to what you'd do for a severe ice storm. The threat sounds different. The response is familiar.