UK passenger wifi network hacked

Just a few weeks after a BBC drama depicted the very extreme end of the possibilities of a cyberattack on the UK rail network, an actual cyberattack has forced major terminals in the country to turn off their free passenger wifi services. 

While Nightsleeper showed the hacking of a whole bi-modal intercity locomotive and train, its wider point was the potential weakness of the UK railways’ cyber security. 

The apparent attack on the customer internet services at London Euston, Manchester Piccadilly and Birmingham New Street seems less significant, but the response of infrastructure (including stations) manager Network Rail was swift.

“We are currently dealing with a cybersecurity incident affecting the public wifi at Network Rail’s managed stations. This service is provided via a third party and has been suspended while an investigation is underway,” a spokesperson said.

Reports suggested passengers who logged on at Manchester Piccadilly were taken to a webpage titled “we love you, Europe”, which contained Islamophobic messages and details of several terrorist attacks. 

Alex Akinbi, senior lecturer in cyber security at Manchester Metropolitan University, said the attack appeared to be an inside job, but that it indicated further threats to the public and their data remained when connecting to public networks.