Securing the Future of Railway Systems: A Comprehensive Cybersecurity Strategy for Critical On-Board and Track-Side Infrastructure

The growing prevalence of cybersecurity threats is a significant concern for railway systems, which rely on an extensive network of onboard and trackside sensors. These threats have the potential to compromise the safety of railway operations and the integrity of the railway infrastructure itself. This paper aims to examine the current cybersecurity measures in use, identify the key vulnerabilities that they address, and propose solutions for enhancing the security of railway infrastructures. The report evaluates the effectiveness of existing security protocols by reviewing current standards, including IEC62443 and NIST, as well as case histories of recent rail cyberattacks. Significant gaps have been identified, especially where modern and legacy systems need to be integrated. Weaknesses in communication protocols such as MVB, CAN and TCP/IP are identified. To address these challenges, the paper proposes a layered security framework specific to railways that incorporate continuous monitoring, risk-based cybersecurity modeling, AI-assisted threat detection, and stronger authentication methodologies. The aim of these recommendations is to improve the resilience of railway networks and ensure a safer, more secure infrastructure for future operations.