Gallery closure and interruption lasting for two hours at Tenda
Tenda Tunnel Closure: Power Outage Linked to Cyberattack
The Tenda Tunnel, the international tunnel connecting Italy and France, was unexpectedly closed for two hours this morning due to a power outage that occurred overnight. The power outage, in turn, disabled the safety technology systems within the tunnel.
Investigations into the cause of the power outage are currently ongoing, but preliminary findings suggest a link to a cyberattack. According to reports, the power outage was caused by a cyberattack involving infected network devices, specifically routers infected with Mirai malware. These devices were exploited through default passwords, which were then used as sources for a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack impacting critical infrastructure systems.
The investigation is focusing on cybersecurity vulnerabilities in connected infrastructure, particularly weaknesses in consumer and small office/home office (SOHO) networking equipment. This includes reviewing the use of default passwords that allowed Mirai malware infection, assessing the security of network devices susceptible to attacks like those from sophisticated groups such as the Chinese espionage group "Volt Typhoon," and implementing stronger security protocols such as wiping systems completely if infected and avoiding default credentials to prevent future infiltration.
Anas staff managed the first two traffic cycles from Italy to France before suspending traffic at 6:20 due to the power outage. The international tunnel reopened at 8:15 after all technological cabinets had been reactivated and the systems re-armed. Since then, there have been no further traffic issues.
Anas staff and technicians are currently conducting further technical investigations into the power outage that occurred overnight. The goal of these investigations is to ensure the smooth operation of the Tenda Tunnel and prevent any similar disruptions in the future.
The ongoing investigations into the Tenda Tunnel power outage hint at potential involvement of a cyberattack, specifically one that infected network devices within the tunnel's infrastructure. This incident, in conjunction with the disruption of public-transit transportation through the tunnel, emphasizes the vital importance of maintaining robust finance and cybersecurity in the transportation and industry sectors to prevent similar incidents. Reinforcing the security of consumer and small office/home office networking equipment, along with the implementation of stronger cybersecurity protocols, could potentially mitigate such threats in the future.
