photo: https://www.mobility.siemens.com/global/en/trends/digitalization/cybersecurity.html/Cyber security
Cyber attackers attacked Czech Railways and Railway Administration. Czech Railways management claims that the operation and safety on the track were not compromised by the attackers. However, the management refuses to disclose details of the attack, saying the case is being handled by the National Cyber and Information Security Agency.
There have been other cyberattacks in the Czech Republic. This time, hackers decided to hack into the systems of state-owned companies. Czech Railways and Railway Administration are affected. Railway Administration officials say that safety on the tracks was not compromised by the attack.
"We can confirm that as of Friday, March 19, 2021, the Railway Administration is facing a cyber threat.” The spokeswoman did not comment further on the severity of the threat. Another target was the national railway operator Czech Railways. What the goal was and how intense the attack was is not yet known, as well as the damage it might have caused.
Rail transport is seen everywhere in the EU as a critical infrastructure, similar to air traffic. Traffic control, where risk could arise, is a central place to be secured against cyber threats. It is in traffic control that a hacking attack can create dangerous situations, either intentionally or as a side effect of an attack. Railway administrations take different approach to their cyber protection and, unlike air transport, there is no central supervisory structure on the rail network by the EU. In the future, protection against cyberattacks will be a major challenge for rail companies and carriers, and most companies are already actively preparing for it by building resilient infrastructure together with using detection tools and preventive procedures.
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