Czech Transport Minister: Russia Conducted Thousands of Cyberattacks on European Railways

The Czech government believes that Russia has carried out "thousands" of attempts to interfere with the operations of European railway networks as part of a campaign to destabilize the EU and engage in diversions on critical infrastructure. This was stated by the Czech Minister of Transport, Martin Kupka, in an interview with the Financial Times.

The minister suspects Russia of attempting to weaken their systems through cyberattacks following Vladimir Putin's order for a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. According to him, Russia specifically launched hacker attacks on signalling systems and networks of the Czech national railway operator, České dráhy.

Previous cyberattacks raised concerns about the possibility of serious accidents due to interference with signalling systems. Kupka expressed satisfaction that Czech experts are capable of protecting all systems from successful attacks, noting that no Russian cyberattack has led to serious incidents.

A report from the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, published in March of last year, also confirms threats to transportation due to attacks, particularly on railway companies, which increased due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The report highlighted significant cyberattacks by "pro-Russian hacker groups" on railway companies in various countries, including Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, and Estonia.

Against this backdrop, the National Cyber Security Agency of the Czech Republic (NUKIB) warned of an increase in cyberattacks in recent years. The Czech railway operator, České dráhy, reported an increase in cyberattacks on their digital infrastructure and has intensified cybersecurity measures.

Furthermore, Minister Kupka mentioned the introduction of restrictions for foreign operators in tenders for the construction of a high-speed rail line connecting Berlin, Prague, and Vienna. "It's not a ban, but we prefer European companies... As for digital parts and signalling systems, we definitely require restrictions because it's part of critical infrastructure," he stated.

It's worth noting that in early March, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) warned of an increasing risk of malicious actors using artificial intelligence to influence the European Parliament elections in June through disinformation.