Hackers attacked the railway network in Poland

 When a few weeks ago the trains in Szczecin suddenly started to stop, no one even thought that hackers might be behind it. However, it soon turned out that the attack was not an accident, but the result of conscious interference.

Unknown perpetrators gained access to the radio frequencies that control the movement of trains. Using cheap equipment, priced at just $30, they managed to disrupt train traffic by sending three-tone "radio stop" signals. Interestingly, information on the possibility of using such commands was available on internet forums gathering radio and railway enthusiasts. The possibility of disrupting railway traffic with cheap equipment is a warning signal for everyone responsible for infrastructure security in Poland.

While this particular attack did not have catastrophic consequences for passengers, it does reveal a security vulnerability that cannot be ignored. Polish railways must be prepared for possible similar threats in the future. In response to this event, the National Transport Agency announced plans to modernize the railway network. One of the planned measures is the implementation of GSM radio communication with security in the form of encryption and authentication. Nevertheless, until these changes are implemented, the railway system is potentially vulnerable to further attacks.

In addition, the security services took swift steps to identify and apprehend the perpetrators. Shortly after the incident, the two suspects, Polish nationals aged 24 and 29, were arrested. Although the attack was technical in nature, its effects were very real. This incident is a reminder that cyber threats are ubiquitous and affect not only corporations or individual users but also key aspects of national infrastructure.

Today, in the era of digitization, where practically everything is connected to the network, we face new challenges. How to defend against threats in a world where small equipment in the wrong hands can cause chaos? This is a question we need to answer as soon as possible. In today's world, rail is not just a means of transport, but an important part of our digital reality.