Russian cyberattack affects the Valencia City Council and leaves the Turia Garden without irrigation

On September 16, 2025, the Valencia City Council suffered a cyberattack of Russian origin that affected the automated irrigation computer system of the Jardín del Turia, the largest urban park in Spain and one of the most emblematic green spaces in the city.

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Incident details

The attack took place in one of the 14 sections into which the irrigation system is divided, specifically located in section VI of the old Turia riverbed, near the Serranos Towers. In that section, the automated system began to operate irregularly, with the sprinklers turned on without control or coordination, causing flooding in some areas and affecting park management.

The affected system has been in operation for more than a decade and is managed by the Autonomous Agency for Parks and Gardens. The City Council's computer technicians detected the flaw and isolated the compromised system a short time after the irregularities began.

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Impact and consequences

Although the attack did not extend to other municipal systems or compromise personal data, it did force the automatic system to be disconnected and switched to manual control for several days to avoid further damage. The incident brings to the table the urgent need to reinforce cybersecurity in essential municipal infrastructures, especially those related to critical services for the city.

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Context and reflections

This attack is in addition to a growing wave of cyberattacks against public administrations and municipalities in Spain, such as the recent Elche case, which took weeks to regain normality after a similar incident. The vulnerability of municipal automated systems poses major challenges in cybersecurity and requires increased training, coordination and audits.

Local authorities have already started looking for specialized companies to reinforce park security and prevent future incidents.

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Recommendations for public administrations

To protect critical infrastructures, it is recommended that administrations implement:

• Regular audits and penetration tests
• Strengthening access control and monitoring systems
• Ongoing training of technical staff in cybersecurity
• Contingency plans for manual management in the face of technological failures
• Collaboration with external experts for security assessment and improvement

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🛡️ Request a comprehensive cybersecurity audit with Apolo Cybersecurity and strengthen your defenses before an incident affects your operations and reputation

The attack on the automated irrigation system in the Jardín del Turia highlights the growing threat posed by cyberattacks even in apparently isolated municipal services. Cybersecurity must be a strategic priority for local governments, which must modernize their infrastructures and strengthen their resistance to increasingly sophisticated and targeted threats.

Is your organization's infrastructure truly protected against cyberattacks that can paralyze essential services?

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