Harris Cyber Policy Initiative Taps Top Hacker to Design New Security Model for Water Utilities

Senior Fellow appointment advances first-of-its-kind managed security solution for rural and underserved systems

CHICAGO, Dec. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Harris Cyber Policy Initiative (CPI) today announced that cybersecurity leader and researcher Tarah Wheeler has joined the initiative as Senior Fellow and Board Member, where she will direct research to guide CPI's development of a first-of-its-kind Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) model tailored for rural water utilities across the United States.

Wheeler's appointment marks the next phase of CPI's flagship effort, DEF CON Franklin, a pioneering, volunteer-driven cyber defense initiative that helps "fireproof" underserved critical infrastructure. Franklin is a joint initiative of the National Rural Water Association, University of Chicago and DEF CON, the world's largest cyber conference.

Since its launch, DEF CON Franklin has mobilized top cybersecurity volunteers and practitioners to provide hands-on defense support to rural water utilities—often for the first time. Through its cyber volunteer taskforce and its annual Hackers' Almanack, Franklin equips local operations to solve real world security challenges. To date, the initiative is directly supporting several rural water utilities in Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Oregon, Utah, and Vermont, providing expert volunteer cyber support.

With Wheeler's leadership, CPI is expanding Franklin's impact beyond volunteer surge to design a shared, affordable, and scalable MSSP framework—one that reflects the operational realities of small and rural utilities and provides continuous cybersecurity protection over the long term.

"Franklin proved that the cybersecurity community is willing and able to show up for the most under-resourced parts of our critical infrastructure," said Jake Braun, former White House Acting Principal National Cybersecurity Director and co-founder of DEF CON Franklin. "The next challenge is sustainability. Tarah Wheeler brings exactly the technical depth, governance expertise, and real-world perspective needed to build a managed security model that actually works for water operators on the ground."

Wheeler brings a rare interdisciplinary background to the role. An information security executive, AI researcher specializing in natural language processing, and social data scientist focused on international conflict, she has long worked at the intersection of technical risk, governance, and real-world resilience. She currently serves as Chief Security Officer at TPO Group, a cybersecurity consulting firm focused on nation-state incident response, critical infrastructure protection, and cyber risk.

"I'm a big fan of water. I love drinking it, swimming in it, fishing in it, and seeing it fall from the sky in my native Pacific Northwest, as well as flow freely through our nation's waterways and hydroelectric systems," said Tarah Wheeler. "Unfortunately, rural American water utilities are drowning in outdated cybersecurity and technology needs. They are targeted every day by foreign attackers and computer criminals. It will be an honor to serve and protect them."

Among all U.S. critical infrastructure sectors, water and wastewater systems are among the most vulnerable to cyber threats. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 70 percent of water systems inspected in a 2024 review failed to meet basic cybersecurity standards. As cyberattacks on infrastructure grow in frequency and sophistication, these gaps pose increasing risks to public health, safety, and economic stability.

Supported by Craig Newmark Philanthropies, the Harris Cyber Policy Initiative is working to close those gaps, and advance community-centered, scalable cybersecurity solutions that protect the essential systems Americans rely on every day.

SOURCE DEF CON Franklin