The Belt Railway Company of Chicago, the largest switching and terminal railroad in the United States, is currently investigating a data breach executed by the Akira ransomware gang. This breach marks the latest cyberattack on critical infrastructure, raising concerns about the cybersecurity of essential transportation systems.
On Thursday evening, the Akira ransomware group took credit for infiltrating the Belt Railway’s systems, asserting they had extracted a substantial 85 GB of data. Christopher Steinway, the general counsel of Belt Railway, confirmed the incident, stating that while the breach didn’t disrupt their operations, the company has taken immediate action. In collaboration with federal law enforcement agencies, Belt Railway has enlisted the services of a leading cybersecurity firm to investigate the breach. Steinway emphasized that the investigation is ongoing.
The attack arrives when the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has intensified its focus on safeguarding critical infrastructure, including railways. The TSA introduced new cybersecurity regulations for essential railways in 2021, renewing them in October. Mandates now encompass the development of network segmentation policies, access control measures, threat detection protocols, and timely patching procedures for various operational systems.
Interestingly, Belt Railway proactively addressed these regulations by publishing a blog post by Director of Information Technology Robert Whitlock. The post detailed the company’s commitment to compliance and completing a TSA audit. The post-audit recommendations were duly implemented to enhance the company’s cybersecurity posture. Whitlock also revealed plans to undergo a comprehensive review of their technological infrastructure and vulnerabilities with the support of the TSA.
The Akira ransomware gang emerged in March 2023 and has amassed a track record of targeting organizations globally. Notable victims include the government of Nassau Bay in Texas, Bluefield University, a state-owned bank in South Africa, London Capital Group, a major foreign exchange broker, and Yamaha’s Canadian music division. The latest breach of the Belt Railway Company adds to the gang’s tally of at least 63 victims.
