The Taipei Times has reported that a 23-year-old university student in Taiwan has been arrested after using a software-defined radio and hand held radio to hack into Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation's (THSRC) internal radio communications and halt four trains mid-service. Chinese-language coverage from UDN and Newtalk fills in some details omitted in the English Taipei Times article. The system the student compromised is TETRA, and at 23:23 on April 5, 2026, the student transmitted a 'General Alarm' (GA) signal, the highest-priority TETRA alert, which automatically instructs trains in the area to switch to manual emergency braking. Four trains were stopped for
    • alexsantee@infosec.pubEnglish
      4·
      3 months ago

      No, they’re doing it right by arresting him. There are ways he could publish his finding and have his share of fame in a way that would help them to get fixed and doesn’t disrupt the lives of so many people

    • higgsboson@piefed.socialEnglish
      4·
      3 months ago

      the student transmitted a “General Alarm” (GA) signal, the highest-priority TETRA alert, which automatically instructs trains in the area to switch to manual emergency braking. Four trains were stopped for 48 minutes.

      I have to disagree. That sounds pretty disruptive and costly for a lot of people. I would prefer not to reward causing large disruptions in the lives of so many people to no point but for the lulz.

      He is currently out on NT$100,000 (3,200 USD) bail and faces up to ten years under Taiwan’s Railway Act and Criminal Code, with an unconvincing “had it in my pocket and accidentally pressed the button” defense.

      I think that is a fairly reasonable range for sentencing, because of the potential and actual impacts on society. For a first offense, though, I would support a suspended or very short actual sentence.