Polish police have arrested two males suspected of hacking the nationwide railway’s communications community. The assault halted 20 trains throughout the nation and paralyzed visitors for hours over the weekend, based on Poland’s railway infrastructure operator.
The suspects, who’re Polish residents aged 24 and 29, have been arrested within the japanese metropolis of Bialystok close to the border with Belarus. The older suspect is the proprietor of an house the place each males have been detained, and the youthful man was allegedly inebriated on the time of the arrest, based on Poland’s RMF radio.
RMF radio additionally reported that one of many suspects is allegedly a police officer in Bialystok. On Tuesday, Polish police introduced the suspension of one in all its officers within the space, however gave few further particulars.
The police confiscated radio tools from the suspects’ locations of residence, police spokesman Tomasz Krupa informed native media.
The sabotage on the Polish railway was allegedly carried out in help of Russia, based on the deputy coordinator of the nation’s particular providers Stanisław Zaryn.
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W nocy z piątku na sobotę w województwie zachodniopomorskim odnotowano nieuprawnione nadawanie sygnału radio-stop. Niezwłocznie działania podjęły odpowiednie służby. Nie ma zagrożenia dla pasażerów kolei. Efektem zdarzenia są wyłącznie zmiany w kursowaniu pociągów pic.twitter.com/tyrckvJS2n— PKP PLK SA (@PKP_PLK_SA) August 26, 2023
The saboteurs have been capable of paralyze the trains — each freight and passenger — throughout the nation by merely sending “cease” instructions through radio frequency to the trains they focused. The attackers additionally performed the Russian nationwide anthem and elements of a speech by Russian president Vladimir Putin on the railway’s radio.
Polish unbiased cybersecurity researcher Lukasz Olejnik informed Wired that Polish trains use a radio system that lacks encryption or authentication, making them susceptible to such hacks.
CERT Polska, the nation’s pc emergency response crew, informed Recorded Future Information the absolutely analog security system was applied in order that any practice or submit can sign an emergency cease to all trains inside a small radius. They confirmed dozens of trains have been stopped by folks abusing the system in latest days.
Poland promised to improve its railways by 2025. They plan to principally use GSM mobile radios with encryption and authentication, based on the nationwide transportation company.
Poland’s railway system is a lifeline for Ukraine because it transports key weapons from European allies to the Ukrainian frontline amid the continued struggle with Russia.
Ukrainian residents and refugees are additionally utilizing Poland as one of many few transit factors on their solution to Europe, with flights within the nation suspended and most main airports destroyed.
Poland’s safety company, ABW, and nationwide police have launched an investigation right into a sabotage incident. Zaryn informed the media that Russia and Belarus have been making an attempt to destabilize the Polish state “for some months.”
Poland has additionally grow to be a serious goal for Russian spies. In July, Poland apprehended a gaggle of 15 Russian spies. In June, a Russian ice hockey participant was arrested for spying, and in March, Poland uncovered Russian spies planning to sabotage rail routes to Ukraine.
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Daryna Antoniuk
Daryna Antoniuk
is a contract reporter for Recorded Future Information based mostly in Ukraine. She writes about cybersecurity startups, cyberattacks in Jap Europe and the state of the cyberwar between Ukraine and Russia. She beforehand was a tech reporter for Forbes Ukraine. Her work has additionally been revealed at Sifted, The Kyiv Impartial and The Kyiv Publish.
