Description

The Czech transport minister, Martin Kupka, has raised concerns about Russia's extensive efforts to sabotage European railways, with 'thousands' of attempts detected since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. These attacks, targeting critical infrastructure such as train networks and signaling systems, are seen as part of Russia's broader strategy to destabilize the EU. Kupka emphasized the seriousness of these attempts, noting that while Czech cyber defense has successfully detected and neutralized the attacks so far, sabotaging railway systems could lead to serious accidents. The Czech cyber security agency, NUKIB, has also warned of an overall surge in cyber attacks, particularly targeting the energy and transportation sectors. This escalation in attacks has coincided with the approval of a 2022 law allowing measures against foreign entities suspected of human rights violations or cyber crimes. The threat landscape in the transport sector has been highlighted by European cybersecurity agency ENISA, which reported ransomware and data-related threats affecting IT systems in the railway sector. These threats, including DDoS attacks by hacktivist groups, have intensified following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, neighboring Poland has also faced similar cyber challenges, with hacking attempts disrupting railway traffic and prompting investigations into unauthorized usage of rail control systems, believed to be part of Russia's broader efforts to destabilize the region amidst geopolitical tensions.