Transport for London (TfL), the city's transport authority, is investigating an ongoing cyberattack that has yet to impact its services. The agency says that, for the moment, there is no evidence that customer information was compromised during the incident.
"We are currently dealing with an ongoing cyber security incident," TfL's Customer Information Team warned customers over email earlier and in a statement published online today.
"At present, there is no evidence that any customer data has been compromised and there has been no impact on TfL services."
"The security of our systems and customer data is very important to us, and we have taken immediate action to prevent any further access to our systems," the agency added.
Backroom Systems Affected
Insiders told the BBC that TfL's corporate headquarters' backroom systems were mainly affected, and staff members were asked to work from home if possible. The transport authority's operational systems were unaffected, however.
TfL Previously Targeted by Cl0p Ransomware Gang
The Russian cybercriminals stole the contact details of approximately 13,000 customers, but the transport authority said that their banking details were not compromised.
"MOVEit is also used directly within TfL’s systems but this was not compromised," TfL added at the time.
TfL's Services and Impact on City Residents
TfL is organized into three units that oversee London's surface, underground, and Crossrail (the Elizabeth line jointly managed with the UK's Transport Department) transportation systems, serving over 8.4 million city residents.
This is a developing story...
Conclusion: A Growing Trend of Cyberattacks on Public Services
The cyberattack on TfL comes amid a growing trend of cyberattacks targeting public services. In the summer, a cyberattack led to more than 10,000 NHS appointments being canceled. Pathology services provider Synnovis was targeted by Russian gang Qilin on June 3, with hackers reportedly obtaining confidential medical information and blood test results of more than 100,000 patients. The ransomware attack saw appointments canceled at two London NHS trusts and prompted a warning that parts of the NHS's IT system are "out of date" and at risk of further hacking. The attacks on TfL and the NHS highlight the importance of cybersecurity for public services. As these services become increasingly reliant on technology, they are also becoming more vulnerable to cyberattacks. It is essential that these organizations invest in strong cybersecurity measures to protect their data and systems from attack. This latest attack on TfL highlights the evolving nature of cybercrime and the need for vigilance from both public and private organizations alike.
