UMD Launching Rail Cybersecurity Center

The University of Maryland (UMD) in March will open the Digital and Cyber Railway Engineering and Operations Center, which it says will “advance the use of high-tech tools” to help secure railroad operations.

Like other industries, railroads are increasingly relying on digital technologies to handle many aspects of operations, leaving them “potentially vulnerable to cyberattacks and other forms of sabotage,” according to UMD, which notes that even when incidents are minor in scale, they can cause significant disruptions and economic losses. For example, in November 2022, a ransomware attack on a railway subcontractor in Denmark led to trains being halted for several hours, the university reports, and in March 2022, cybercriminals breached the computer system used by Italy’s state railroad and its subsidiaries, forcing a suspension of ticket sales.

According to UMD, its A. James Clark School of Engineering can help industry take advantage of the advanced tools available to manage such threats through the new Digital and Cyber Railway Engineering and Operations Center (DCREOC).

The center, it says, will explore the use of quantum computing and technology to address operational, logistical and maintenance issues in railway engineering. It will leverage the quantum technology resources currently available at UMD, which offers several labs and centers dedicated to quantum-related research. Additionally, the center will help to develop the next generation of railway engineers and practitioners, ensuring they are well-versed in emerging technologies, UMD says.

“In the era of digital applications, fundamental changes are needed in areas such as data storage and sharing,” said Dr. Nii Attoh-Okine, Professor and Chair of the UMD Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, who will head the new center. “As leaders in the railway engineering field identify the needed changes and develop best practices, the DCREOC will serve as a focal point to guide this new era of railway transportation. Our aim is to support industry through research, education and policy. Our center will work with a diverse range of specialists and partners to facilitate changes that will address appropriate maintenance techniques, operational efficiency, and security and safety in railway engineering and operations.”

Among those partners: the Center for Artificial Intelligence at Japan’s University of Tsukuba and the railway engineering program at Delft University, Netherlands. “Research will cover a gamut of resilience-related topics, from blockchain applications to track geometry modeling,” UMD says.

The new UMD center on March 7-8 will kick off its activities by hosting a “Cyber Resilience and Quantum Computing in Railway Engineering and Operations” workshop (agenda downloadable below), highlighting new academic research on cyber resilience, artificial intelligence and machine learning within the context of railway safety and security.

“Our nation needs a safe and secure logistical supply chain, which is strongly dependent on our rail system,” said Dean Samuel Graham Jr. of the Clark School. “To ensure the efficient delivery of goods through this supply chain, it’s essential we continue to modernize and protect our infrastructure involving trains, railways, and other assets needed in their operation. With our leading capabilities in AI, machine learning, quantum, and data analytics, we’re uniquely positioned to advance the country’s rail infrastructure and enable the employees who manage it. We’re excited to bring this new center online.”

In related developments, the Transportation Security Administration in November released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking input on ways to strengthen cybersecurity and resiliency in the pipeline and rail freight, passenger and transit sectors.

FURTHER READING:

Let’s Face It: We’re Vulnerable

All Aboard the Cybersecurity Express

Rail Cybersecurity with Shift5’s Josh Lospinoso