Public transit agencies face increasing risk of cyberattacks

US public transit agencies should appoint a Chief Security Officer and use procurement processes to raise cybersecurity standards, according to a new report.

The research from Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University found that requirements in requests for proposals (RFPs) are a key driver of investment for vendors.

The report, titled Aligning the Transit Industry and Their Vendors in the Face of Increasing Cyber Risk, warns that the hardware and software lifecycles in public transit are “out of sync,” creating a situation where vehicles and other hardware designed to last for 15 years or more are being supported by software that stopped receiving security updates, ...