Nationwide GSMR problem

[Horizon22]

There is currently a nationwide GSMR outage by the look of things and it is affecting multiple routes. Various trains are being restricted to 100mph as a result. Drivers are reporting issues registering and setting up the system correctly in the cab. If it can't be fixed imminently, the speed restrictions are set to be even more severe.

An upgrade was taking place and may or may not be related.

A full explanation of GSM-R can be found here.

 

[carriageline]

All sorted now! (Was fixed by 06:00 I believe)

 

[najaB]

Without knowing any details at all, it sounds like a software update that failed and was then rolled back.

 

[alf]

These failures are worrying.

Sounds like another railway vulnerability to computer blackmailers from around the world or enemies in a future conflict.

Do NR take this into account when designing in this era of hacking?

 

[ainsworth74]

These failures are worrying.

Sounds like another railway vulnerability to computer blackmailers from around the world or enemies in a future conflict.

Do NR take this into account when designing in this era of hacking?

I'm confused why the failure of a software update suggests that the railway is vulnerable to cyber criminals or attacks?

 

[najaB]

Do NR take this into account when designing in this era of hacking?

If there's no direct connection between the Internet and the underlying GSMR system then the risk of hacking is minimal. I would be *very* surprised if such a critical piece of infrastructure wasn't suitably air gapped.

 

[Ken H]

I would hope thay are using object control software. It will take the release and try and implement it. If it hits a problem, it will roll back the implementation it has already done. I imagine the implementation was scheduled for a quiet time, say 01:00, and was expected to take an hour. But if the implementation failed when it was nearly done, the roll back could take a while. Maybe as the railway got busier the objects could have started being locked by users, slowing the roll back.