Cyberattack hijacks public Wi-Fi at UK rail stations to spread Islamophobic messages

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) - Passengers at some of the UK's busiest rail stations were exposed to Islamophobic messages in a cybersecurity breach, disrupting public Wi-Fi services, officials said Thursday.

The messages, shown on public Wi-Fi login pages late Wednesday, contained Islamophobic content and referenced a UK terror attack, sparking concerns among passengers trying to connect to the service.

Network Rail quickly suspended Wi-Fi access at all 19 affected stations nationwide, including several key stations – Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham New Street, and 11 major stations across London, excluding St. Pancras.

The public Wi-Fi service, provided by a third-party contractor, operates independently and does not collect personal data, according to Network Rail.

A spokesperson said the breach was swiftly addressed and is currently under investigation.

"Last night the public Wi-Fi at 19 of Network Rail's managed stations was subjected to a cyber security incident and was quickly taken offline," the spokesperson said. "Once our final security checks have been completed, we anticipate the service will be restored by the weekend."

British Transport Police confirmed they were alerted to the attack late Wednesday afternoon. A spokesperson said that BTP is collaborating with Network Rail to investigate the breach.