A Taiwanese student experimenting with software-defined radio shut down three high-speed bullet trains for nearly an hour, prompting an anti-terrorism response. On 5 April, a 23-year-old train enthusiast used a radio set-up and hardware bought online to spoof a general alarm to the Taiwan High Speed Rail operations centre, triggering emergency braking commands and resulting in a 48-minute delay.
The piece notes that THSR reportedly used the Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) emergency protocol, which can be secure if configured and maintained carefully, but may be left insecure if not managed properly, according to Midnight Blue. The incident sits in a broader context where rail systems have faced prior disruptions, including Poland in August 2023 and claims by a pro-Iranian hacktivist group about Israel, though some officials and firms contested those claims.
Experts, including Lukasz Olejnik and Sean Tufts of Claroty, emphasise that securing communications, authenticating commands, and robust anomaly detection are essential as rail operators deploy modern yet vulnerable radio and telecommunication networks.