An indictment was unveiled, charging Rambler Gallo, a former employee of a Massachusetts-based contractor, with intentionally causing damage to the computer network of the Discovery Bay Water Treatment Facility in California according to the United States Attorney's Office. The facility, which provides treatment for the water and wastewater systems for the town’s 15,000 residents, ultimately faced significant disruptions due to the alleged attack.
The indictment discloses that during his employment with the contractor, Gallo allegedly had installed software on his personal computer, as well as on his employer’s private internal network, granting him remote access to the water treatment facility’s computer network. After resigning from his position as the Instrumentation and Control Tech, Gallo used that remote access in January 2021 to uninstall the main operational and monitoring system at the plant, disrupting crucial processes, including water pressure, filtration, and chemical levels.
This malicious act has led the authorities to charge Gallo with one count of transmitting a program, information, code, and command to cause damage to a protected computer. If he is found guilty, he faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, in addition to other potential assessments, supervised release, and restitution that the court may impose.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been actively investigating this case, working in collaboration with the United States Attorney's Office. As we strive to maintain the safety and security of our communities, the role of law enforcement in uncovering and addressing cyber attacks on essential facilities becomes increasingly vital.
