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CYBER ATTACK

Denmark’s rail ticket system targeted in digital attack

National rail operator DSB suffered an outage to its ticketing system on Sunday night after an apparent cyber-attack on the online platform.

Published: 2 September 2019 10:21 CEST
Denmark’s rail ticket system targeted in digital attack
File photo: Henning Bagger/Ritzau Scanpix

The system was operating normally again by Monday morning, DSB’s press service confirmed.

The issue impacted online ticketing platforms, machines at stations and staffed ticket desks, although the Rejsekort travel card could still be used on train journeys.

Normal operation was resumed by around midnight.

A DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack is thought to be responsible for the problem. Such attacks bring online platforms down bring placing high demands on them until they are unable to function.

Who or what was responsible for the attack remains unknown, but the press office said it was certain to have come from outside DSB’s own system.

The national rail operator has been the target of hacking attacks before.

In May 2018, a similar issue prevented travellers across the country from purchasing tickets.

READ ALSO: Two Danish ministries taken offline by cyber attack

 

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TRANSPORT

Denmark signals billion-kroner spending on new electric trains

Danish state-owned rail operator DSB is to purchase 100 electric trains at a cost of around 20 billion kroner, including maintenance costs.

Published: 12 April 2021 17:10 CEST
Denmark signals billion-kroner spending on new electric trains
File photo: Martin Sylvest/Ritzau Scanpix

French company Alstom has won the contract to supply the trains to Denmark, DSB and transport minister Benny Engelbrecht said at a briefing on Monday.

The contract includes the option to purchase over the initial agreement for 100 trains. DSB said it expected to eventually receive 150 locomotives.

The electric trains are expected to begin operating on Denmark’s railways from 2024.

The deal comes as a result of a 2018 political which secured the replacement of the older IC4 trains, which have been the cause of a number of technical challenges during their time in service for DSB.

Ole Birk Olesen, the former transport minister who was in the post when the 2018 deal was agreed, said he does not expect such challenges with the new trains.

“Two things will make sure we avoid problems. The people who are supplying the trains are also responsible for maintenance,” Olesen said.

“That bill will not end up in the hands of Danish taxpayers. The other thing is that these are trains which already run in Europe and which have proved to be stable,” he added.

DSB has confirmed that two new maintenance centres will be built for servicing and repairing the new trains. The two workshops will be located in Copenhagen and Aarhus.

Engelbrecht noted at the briefing that the trains, which are of the type Coradia Stream, accelerate faster and have a higher top speed than the IC4 machines.

The top speed of the Coradia Stream is 200 kilometres per hour.

READ ALSO: Danish rail company reintroduces seat reservation rule

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