Hacking railroads to cause real damage: cyberattacks with impacts on safety and physical security. πππαα||απ¨π»βπ»π©Έ
Security engineer Jon Torode, in his recent paper, explores how cyberattacks could affect not only railway operations and the integrity of information, but also passenger safety and physical infrastructure. And yes - it can be done.
Modern trains have no less technology inside them than the most sophisticated cars and airplanes. The infrastructure that manages the railroad - performing train routing, speed control, and collision prevention, especially during rush hours - is highly digitalized. All of this can be (and one day will be) a target for attackers.
A nine-coach passenger train can carry about 20% more passengers than the worldβs largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380. This means that a railway accident could potentially involve even more people than an airliner incident.
If youβre into critical infrastructure cybersecurity, I think this is a must-read for you and the decision-makers in your company. Enjoy the read, and please share!
More details:
Cybersecurity in rail: Implications for operational safety [PDF]: https://journal.scsa.ge/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/0084_cybersecurity-in-rail-implications-for-operational-safety.pdf
