Massive Cyberattack Shuts Down Online Services
On Sunday, March 23, a powerful cyberattack hit Ukraine’s State Railway Company, Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ). It shut down the company’s online ticket sales. It also blocked cargo shipment documentation across the country.
UZ officials called the cyberattack “unprecedented.” It was highly advanced and complex. It targeted the railway’s servers and IT systems. This made it impossible for passengers to buy tickets online. Cargo companies also couldn’t register shipments digitally.
Despite the large-scale attack, the railway system kept running. Trains stayed on schedule. Passengers could still buy tickets at station counters. To handle the rush, UZ added more staff. They also extended working hours at the counters.
The company assured travelers that wait times were around 15 minutes, even during rush hours. Employees watched the lines carefully to avoid long queues. They said the wait was about as long as a line for morning coffee.
Cargo traffic kept moving without problems. Railway employees used paper documents until they fixed the IT systems.
Hungarian Railways Fined Ticketless Ukrainian Passengers
The impact of the cyberattack extended beyond Ukraine’s borders, creating difficulties for Ukrainian passengers traveling internationally.
Some Ukrainian travelers going to other European countries, including Hungary, could not show their tickets due to the outage. UZ told foreign railway operators about the problem. Still, Hungarian railway workers fined at least three Ukrainian passengers for not having physical proof of their tickets.
Hungarian railway staff fined a Ukrainian passenger €250 (about $271). She was traveling with her child and a disabled companion. She explained the cyberattack and showed proof. Still, the railway workers refused to believe her.
She was given two options: either pay the fine or get off the train. With no real choice, she paid the fine.
The incident upset many passengers. UZ had assured them that foreign railway companies knew about the cyberattack. UZ later said the fines broke agreements between the two railway companies. The passengers and UZ plan to file formal complaints to challenge the fines.
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Ongoing Recovery and Backup Measures
Following the attack, UZ’s IT specialists and Ukraine’s Cyber Security Service worked tirelessly to restore the railway’s digital systems.
To avoid more problems, UZ introduced emergency steps. Passengers who couldn’t buy tickets in time could purchase them onboard. Train crews were told to process tickets during the trip. However, UZ warned that some classes might be full due to high demand.
For cargo services, UZ switched to paper documents. Shippers prepared their paperwork and gave it to staff at departure stations. If a station had no freight office, duty officers accepted the documents. Railway staff also gave out blank waybills to avoid delays.
UZ has faced cyberattacks before, but this one was more advanced. Officials called it “systemic” and “non-trivial.” They said it was not a simple attack. It was a complex and multi-layered strike on the railway’s systems.
The hackers behind the attack are still unknown. However, UZ officials suspect Russian involvement. The railway has often been targeted by enemy cyberattacks in the past.
Despite the strong attack, UZ promised to keep trains running. The company said they would provide uninterrupted service. They stated that neither physical damage nor cyberattacks would stop them from keeping the railway system working.
