A major cyber attack has hit the public Wi-Fi systems at 19 railway stations across the UK, including ten in London.
Network Rail confirmed that major hubs like London Euston, Manchester Piccadilly, and Glasgow Central were affected.
Passengers attempting to access the public Wi-Fi at these stations were instead met with alarming messages referencing terror attacks in Europe.
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The British Transport Police (BTP) are now investigating the incident, which involved a third-party Wi-Fi provider called Telent.
Users took to social media to report seeing the message “We love you, Europe” on the Wi-Fi landing page, accompanied by disturbing information about terror attacks.
The attack has drawn comparisons to the plot of the BBC drama Nightsleeper, which features a train being hacked and hijacked.
The Wi-Fi systems remained down at the affected stations as of this morning, which include busy hubs like Bristol Temple Meads, Leeds, and Edinburgh Waverley.
Although train services were not impacted directly, passengers experienced major disruptions unrelated to the cyber attack, such as a cable incident blocking trains between Lockerbie and Carstairs.
Experts in cyber security have commented on the attack, emphasizing the risks posed by public Wi-Fi networks.
Alex Richards, director of Liberate IT Services, explained that public Wi-Fi is often targeted because of its accessibility.
Although such networks are typically isolated from sensitive data systems like Network Rail’s, the attack raised concerns about data privacy. Richards stressed the importance of using encrypted services or VPNs when accessing public Wi-Fi.
James Bore, director at Bores Group, agreed, suggesting that the attack likely targeted the Wi-Fi provider itself, Telent, rather than Network Rail.
He pointed out that this type of attack changes the “captive portal” – the page users are redirected to after logging on – to spread a message, rather than posing an immediate data theft threat. He recommended avoiding public Wi-Fi when possible due to the risks involved.
Additional insights came from Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cyber security expert at NordVPN, who warned that public Wi-Fi is an attractive target for hackers.
He said research showing that Britons are among the most vulnerable globally when using such networks, with many people willing to log on to unprotected Wi-Fi services. He advised avoiding sensitive activities like online banking while connected to public networks.
Telent, the company responsible for managing the affected Wi-Fi systems, has yet to confirm whether any of its other clients have been compromised by the hack. Its customers include major organizations such as Openreach, Transport for London, and the NHS Ambulance Radio Programme. A spokesperson for Telent confirmed the company is investigating the incident alongside Network Rail and the BTP.
Though no ransom demands were reported, cybersecurity analysts like Jake Moore from Eset suggest the attack was likely meant to highlight security flaws rather than pose a genuine threat.
He compared the incident to a recent hack on Transport for London (TfL), where customer data was accessed earlier this month. In that case, some Oyster card information, including bank details, was compromised.
The BTP has also confirmed it is treating the incident as Islamophobic, as some of the messages displayed on the hijacked Wi-Fi screens contained offensive content.
Investigators are working to identify those responsible, though details remain limited.
The attack serves as a reminder of the growing threat of cybercrime across critical infrastructure in the UK.
In recent years, similar incidents have occurred, including a ransomware attack on NHS services that led to the cancellation of over 10,000 medical appointments, as well as breaches targeting football clubs and the transport sector.
The rise of cyber attacks highlights the importance of enhanced digital security measures in an increasingly connected world.
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