The project suggestively entitled SECRET plans to assess the risks and consequences of electromagnetic attacks on the railway infrastructure, in order to identify preventive and recovery measures and to develop protection solutions to ensure the security of the rail network, most of the times subject to intentional electromagnetic (EM) interferences, which can disturb a large number of train command-control, communication or signalling systems on the railways.
Among the main objectives of the project initiated by the International Union of Railways (UIC), by means of the seventh research programme (FP 7), and co-financed by the European Commission are the identification of critical scenarios of EM attacks and the evaluation of the consequences by means of risks analysis and attack experiment on railway infrastructure.
The programme started in August 2012, 2015 being the completion term of the risk analysis.
The main objectives of the project also include the development of protection equipments and of resilient train command-control and communication architecture to such attacks, including detection devices of EM attacks. In addition, this programme also develops management processes in order to completely defeat the effect of such an attack or to facilitate the return to normal conditions, optimal for the operation of the railway infrastructure. SECRET project will make certain technical recommendations for the purpose of consolidating the railway infrastructure.
From the information published on the website dedicated to SECRET programme, we find out that the participants in this project will develop innovative solutions to reinforce the infrastructure and to protect the European railway from the EM vulnerability resulting from the standard harmonisation process at the European level. This requires development of technologies in compliance with ERTMS, as well as the production of technical recommendations improving the European railway network standardisation and the railway infrastructure resiliency.
The work plan of the project is structured in five work packages in charge of the technical works.
The first work plan is dedicated to the threat analysis and risks assessment in terms of potential EM attacks scenarios. The impact and the EM attack devices are also analyses. These outputs aim to provide a clear view of the critical condition of the railway infrastructure to policy makers.
Work plans 2, 3 and 4 focus on the development of innovative solutions to be implemented in order to protect the European railway infrastructures against EM attacks.
On the other side, work plan 5 aims at producing the specifications and technical recommendations dedicated to European standardisation bodies.
Work plans 6, 7 and 8 are in charge of the dissemination, the project technical management, as well as of the administrative and financial management.
The participants in the development of this technical programme include the company Alstom Transport, the French operator SNCF, UIC, Europe Recherche Transport (ERT), the French Institute of Science and Technology for Transport (IFSTTAR), Fraunhofer Institute IAIS, Politecnico di Torino, TRIALOG, University of Liege, Montefiore Institute and ZANASI Alessandro Srl.
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