The risks to railways are well-documented and substantial, and many governments around the world have adopted an aggressive posture when it comes to protecting critical infrastructure.
Karsten Oberle・Global Practice Lead Railway Nokia, Transportation, Energy, and Public Sector
Internet Protocol (IP)-based technologies offer tremendous benefits to railways by supporting mission-critical operational services that improve safety, reliability and efficiency, as well as conveniences such as on-board broadband for passengers. Photo: Nokia
4 min to read
Internet Protocol (IP)-based technologies offer tremendous benefits to railways by supporting mission-critical operational services that improve safety, reliability and efficiency, as well as conveniences such as on-board broadband for passengers. Photo: Nokia
Modern communication networks have transformed society — along with the Internet, smartphones and the vast array of applications and services we all rely on to make our daily lives more enjoyable and productive as a result. These same Internet Protocol (IP)-based technologies also offer tremendous benefits to railways by supporting mission-critical operational services that improve safety, reliability and efficiency, as well as conveniences such as on-board broadband for passengers.
The shift toward IP-based networks and internet of things (IoT) technologies driving the required digital transformation in railway is bringing substantial benefits. While these benefits are actively being explored and implemented by railway operators worldwide, it also introduces a variety of new challenges — most notable among them is cybersecurity. Why? By their nature these technologies tend to have more direct connections to the internet and public networks, which provides potential ‘on-ramps’ for attacks. They also feature many more interconnections between devices such as surveillance cameras, sensors, meters, payment systems and on-board information systems. Increasingly, these connections are wireless, which can also increase the potential for exploitation.
The risks to railways are well-documented and substantial, and many governments around the world have adopted an aggressive posture when it comes to protecting critical infrastructure. As stewards of one of the most critical public assets, railway operators are naturally very invested in developing protection measures to help ensure that their passengers and freight reach their destinations safely and without delay.
The risks to railways are well-documented and substantial, and many governments around the world have adopted an aggressive posture when it comes to protecting critical infrastructure.
In general, the volume and variety of cyberattacks are increasing and becoming more sophisticated. However, the greater dangers to railway infrastructure are simple, less nefarious instances of human error; things like configuration problems, compliance failures and inattention. Even managing routine threats such as malware and viruses, and dealing with the volume of alerts, can be overwhelming for IT departments. This is why, regardless of the nature of the threat, railway operators need more robust network security to protect their infrastructure. Interestingly, the systems that can make them vulnerable — communications networks — are also one of a railway operator’s biggest assets when it comes to threat mitigation. How? The kinds of advanced networks available today can very effectively identify and monitor new threats, analyze the nature of those threats and provide the means to deal with malicious or inadvertent data breaches.
What has become clear in recent years is that there is no “silver bullet’ technology that can solve a railway operator’s cybersecurity problems. A systematic, comprehensive approach is needed that covers both technology-based interventions and business processes, such as:
Clearly defined regulations and policies
Incident response plans
Techniques and devices that can identify and characterize suspicious activity
End-to-end security infrastructure
Ad Loading...
Robust analytics capabilities
Security automation
This final item is perhaps most critical because automation can enable railway operators to manage repeatable, often-recurring actions without the direct engagement or intervention of security personnel; while at the same time giving them the capability to deal which the huge volume of security incidents happening every day. This approach can serve as a kind of force multiplier, enabling cybersecurity personnel to focus on resolving the most unique threats — and is critical given the relative shortage of available talent in the industry. The shortage of cybersecurity personnel is a global challenge, and one that makes it relatively impractical to rely too heavily on incident response strategies that depend on manual intervention.
The greater dangers to railway infrastructure are simple, less nefarious instances of human error; things like configuration problems, compliance failures and inattention.
Of course, as threats evolve, so must the techniques and technologies used to address them. One promising capability is machine learning, which can be used to analyze threat data from throughout the network, including connected devices of all types and cloud-based services. Essentially, the network can learn to identify potential security gaps that can be quickly mitigated.
Ad Loading...
Ultimately, the goal is to put in place a multi-layered defense strategy that can use technology judiciously to best leverage limited human resources, while not relying entirely on technology-based approaches.
By doing the hard work up front, and putting a cybersecurity mitigation strategy in place, railway operators can avoid the headache of accidents and delays, and their associated revenue impacts. This can also burnish their brands, giving the riding public the assurance that the railway operator is doing its utmost to make sure their passengers arrive at their destination safely and on time.
Karsten Oberle is Head of the Global Railway Practice for Nokia.
Polis comprises cities and regions, as well as corporate partners, from across Europe, promoting the development and implementation of sustainable mobility. This year’s event had over a thousand attendees across various policy forums and an exhibition.
Across North America and beyond, transit agency officials are contending with a perfect storm of operational headaches and strategic challenges that hamper daily service and long-term progress.
Simply incentivizing electrification is not enough to make a meaningful impact; we must shift our focus toward prioritizing public transportation and infrastructure.
For many years, the narrative surrounding public transit improvements has been heavily weighted toward environmental gains and carbon reduction. While these are undeniably crucial long-term benefits, the immediate focus of this new funding environment is firmly on demonstrable system efficiencies and a clear return on investment.
The notion of agencies being over- or underfunded, I argued, doesn’t hold up. If an agency wants to turn up the heat — to grow beyond the status quo — it must demonstrate measurable value.
Some agencies might suggest they are funded in the public transportation space. Some complain that they are funded too little. I have never heard a public transportation executive proclaim that they are funded too much. And if no public agencies are funded too much, then, by definition, none are funded too little. To steal from Goldilocks’ thinking, they are all funded just right.
From East Asia to Europe, more than 400 exhibitors and 70 sessions tackled global mobility challenges — highlighting AI, automation, and urban transit equity in the race toward a carbon-free future.
A closer look at ridership trends, demographic shifts, and the broader impacts of service reductions reveals why maintaining, and even improving, bus service levels should be a top priority in 2025.
