A Threat for the Trains: Ransomware as a New Risk

Abstract

Nowadays we cannot speak about cybersecurity as a simple problem. It is not just about users cannot properly use the devices because of a malware settle in their computers. Now professionals have to work in a more complex system. The information technology meshes most of our life. Begin with people use their smartphones over that companies lead most of their processes via computers. Nations want that their citizens can live in a healthier, more comfortable, economical place, so they started to think about how can they warrant a better life. Result in this governments started to make critical infrastructure more economical with the help of information technology. That is how Smart Cities began to evolve. However, bringing into practice these innovations is still not enough. If we use any technology, we shall use it securely, that is why we must build our advanced city as a secure Smart City. If not, our systems can be attacked in different ways. In the view of last years, we can accept, that ransomware can make considerable problems in different systems. Last time NotPetya caused many problems in Ukraine’s infrastructure. The metro and the airport information technology systems were also victims of this malicious code. The security of the transportation is essential not just because of public transport one of the leading part of Smart Cities, but because in these public vehicles many people travel day by day, so these are critical infrastructures. This article is processing what could happen if Hungarian train management systems got attacked by ransomware. What are the risks and how should we protect against them?

Keywords

• malware
• ransomware
• transport management systems