Railway Safety and Security Versus Growing Cybercrime Challenges

Abstract

Paper presents how safety and security of the railway system have changed over the years taking into account both internal and external factors. It takes into account internal changes in railway technology itself including more and more shifting to electronic, programmable and database systems and shifting from closed to open data communication systems. It also takes into account external changes pointing environmental circumstances, vandalism and terrorism challenges as well as cybercrime changes. Paper is focusing on cybercrime and cybersecurity. It identifies functions of the railway systems which are supported by IT based solutions. Paper subdivides identified IT based solutions by their influence on the safety and security as well as by their susceptibility to external influences including unauthorised attempts to influence the way they work. It shows how much susceptibility depends on internal and external data communication. Paper analyses different types of hazardous events influencing communication starting from relationships between possible undesirable events and threats, which are defined by RAMS railway standards. Conclusions are pointing sensitive IT solutions areas together with descriptions of the related challenges.