Nick Lawler

We see it in the transportation sector, we see it in the water sector, we see it in the communication sector, we see it in the energy sector. And the worst day is an everything, everywhere, all at once scenario.

We see it in the transportation sector, we see it in the water sector, we see it in the communication sector, we see it in the energy sector. And the worst day is an everything, everywhere, all at once scenario.

Yep. Nick Lawler, general manager of the Littleton Electric Light and Water Departments in Littleton, Massachusetts.

Yep. Nick Lawler, general manager of the Littleton Electric Light and Water Departments in Littleton, Massachusetts.

Yeah, it was the Friday before Thanksgiving. I remember it being a beautiful day. It's funny how you can remember certain things from a certain day when something bad happens, right? I was out doing yard work, and the call actually came through to our assistant general manager at the time, and he sent the call to me. It was a call directly from FBI officers in Boston, Massachusetts.

Yeah, it was the Friday before Thanksgiving. I remember it being a beautiful day. It's funny how you can remember certain things from a certain day when something bad happens, right? I was out doing yard work, and the call actually came through to our assistant general manager at the time, and he sent the call to me. It was a call directly from FBI officers in Boston, Massachusetts.

No, he wanted me to give him my personal email address. And he wanted to send me an email with the link to click to kind of figure out what was going on on our networks in Littleton. It reminded me a lot of the Microsoft spam calls that you get that you... your operating system's out of date and, you know, please send us an email and we'll get it up to date for you. That's what it seemed like.

No, he wanted me to give him my personal email address. And he wanted to send me an email with the link to click to kind of figure out what was going on on our networks in Littleton. It reminded me a lot of the Microsoft spam calls that you get that you... your operating system's out of date and, you know, please send us an email and we'll get it up to date for you. That's what it seemed like.

So I obviously didn't trust him. And he kept on saying he needed to get it on a personal email so that way the threat actors couldn't detect his presence.

So I obviously didn't trust him. And he kept on saying he needed to get it on a personal email so that way the threat actors couldn't detect his presence.

I really did not believe that it was real. Didn't believe him. I asked him to repeat his name. I then hung up the phone on him and then looked up our local FBI Boston office. Telephone number. I called that directly, asked for that gentleman, and he was there.

I really did not believe that it was real. Didn't believe him. I asked him to repeat his name. I then hung up the phone on him and then looked up our local FBI Boston office. Telephone number. I called that directly, asked for that gentleman, and he was there.

And he answered the phone and carried on the conversation like I didn't hang up the phone on him, which I still didn't give him my email address and still didn't think it was real, still thought it was some sort of scam. We said, no, if this is a real event and it's as serious as you say it is, then we'll see you in person on Monday morning. He was there at 10 o'clock sharp.

And he answered the phone and carried on the conversation like I didn't hang up the phone on him, which I still didn't give him my email address and still didn't think it was real, still thought it was some sort of scam. We said, no, if this is a real event and it's as serious as you say it is, then we'll see you in person on Monday morning. He was there at 10 o'clock sharp.

Then I got the call from the office, and two gentlemen are here to see you, one from Homeland Security and one from the FBI. And I'm like, oh, my God. Okay, this is real. Okay. From the X-Files? Yeah, the X-Files. The whole thing was like the movies. And even at that point, you still don't believe it. That's when they started talking about threat actors and really who they were.

Then I got the call from the office, and two gentlemen are here to see you, one from Homeland Security and one from the FBI. And I'm like, oh, my God. Okay, this is real. Okay. From the X-Files? Yeah, the X-Files. The whole thing was like the movies. And even at that point, you still don't believe it. That's when they started talking about threat actors and really who they were.

They slid a document in front of us, you know, and had right on it, you know, a nation state actor, Volt Typhoon. And that's the first I ever heard of Volt Typhoon.

They slid a document in front of us, you know, and had right on it, you know, a nation state actor, Volt Typhoon. And that's the first I ever heard of Volt Typhoon.

So they explained Volt Typhoon and I remember saying to him, so we're under attack from China? And he's like, who said China? And I'm looking at the pamphlet right on there. It says Volta, you know, Volta from the nation state threat actor from China. I'm like, well, I don't know. I mean, the paperwork says it. But they are very diplomatic and very careful what they said.

So they explained Volt Typhoon and I remember saying to him, so we're under attack from China? And he's like, who said China? And I'm looking at the pamphlet right on there. It says Volta, you know, Volta from the nation state threat actor from China. I'm like, well, I don't know. I mean, the paperwork says it. But they are very diplomatic and very careful what they said.