Man
Professional
- Messages
- 3,070
- Reaction score
- 606
- Points
- 113
Talking Traffic is a system that will solve the problem or put entire provinces at risk.
A serious vulnerability has been discovered in the Netherlands in a traffic light management system that allows attackers to remotely control signals at thousands of intersections across the country. This fact is of serious concern to the authorities.
Alvin Peppels, a 29-year-old ethical hacker, has uncovered a dangerous flaw in the shortwave radio system (KAR), which has been used to control traffic lights since 2005. He demonstrated how a homemade device can be used to switch signals to green or red from a distance of several kilometers.
The KAR system was originally designed to provide priority for emergency services and public transport. However, it is easy to exploit, creating chaos on the roads or hindering the work of special services. Researcher Dave Maasland stressed in an interview that such threats, once considered the lot of science fiction films, are becoming a reality in modern society. Of particular danger is the fact that an attacker does not need to be in the immediate vicinity of a traffic light to carry out an attack.
The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management confirmed the seriousness of the problem. The only effective solution is to completely replace vulnerable traffic lights with modern systems. However, this process will take several years and is projected to be completed no earlier than 2030.
But the plan is already there. The new technology, which now seems to be a better alternative, is called Talking Traffic. It will work through a mobile Internet connection instead of radio signals. However, Peppels warns that the centralized system could create new risks and potentially allow attackers to control roads on a province-wide scale.
Moreover, the vulnerability can be exploited not only to create chaos at intersections, but also for more serious criminal purposes. The National Cyber Security Centre of the Netherlands (NCSC) emphasizes: hacking traffic lights is a criminal offense that can threaten the safety of hundreds, if not thousands, of people.
Indeed, the enthusiast's finding raises broader questions about the protection of critical infrastructure in the era of digitalization. According to Maasland, many systems were created at a time when the digital world was not so hostile, and now these vulnerabilities are resurfacing at a time of geopolitical tensions.
Source
A serious vulnerability has been discovered in the Netherlands in a traffic light management system that allows attackers to remotely control signals at thousands of intersections across the country. This fact is of serious concern to the authorities.
Alvin Peppels, a 29-year-old ethical hacker, has uncovered a dangerous flaw in the shortwave radio system (KAR), which has been used to control traffic lights since 2005. He demonstrated how a homemade device can be used to switch signals to green or red from a distance of several kilometers.
The KAR system was originally designed to provide priority for emergency services and public transport. However, it is easy to exploit, creating chaos on the roads or hindering the work of special services. Researcher Dave Maasland stressed in an interview that such threats, once considered the lot of science fiction films, are becoming a reality in modern society. Of particular danger is the fact that an attacker does not need to be in the immediate vicinity of a traffic light to carry out an attack.
The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management confirmed the seriousness of the problem. The only effective solution is to completely replace vulnerable traffic lights with modern systems. However, this process will take several years and is projected to be completed no earlier than 2030.
But the plan is already there. The new technology, which now seems to be a better alternative, is called Talking Traffic. It will work through a mobile Internet connection instead of radio signals. However, Peppels warns that the centralized system could create new risks and potentially allow attackers to control roads on a province-wide scale.
Moreover, the vulnerability can be exploited not only to create chaos at intersections, but also for more serious criminal purposes. The National Cyber Security Centre of the Netherlands (NCSC) emphasizes: hacking traffic lights is a criminal offense that can threaten the safety of hundreds, if not thousands, of people.
Indeed, the enthusiast's finding raises broader questions about the protection of critical infrastructure in the era of digitalization. According to Maasland, many systems were created at a time when the digital world was not so hostile, and now these vulnerabilities are resurfacing at a time of geopolitical tensions.
Source
