TS 50701 Cyber Framework

TS 50701 provides a comprehensive, industry-specific technical specification to handle cybersecurity in a unified way across the entire railway sector. TS 50701 covers the entire life cycle of railway systems, including concept, design, risk analysis, requirements, implementation, validation, and operation/maintenance, ensuring a comprehensive approach to cyber security.

Below are a few cyber measures recommended by TS 50701:

Zoning and Conduits Approach: TS 50701 advocates the use of a zoning and conduits approach to segregate and control the communication between different domains, including ground-to-ground and ground-to-train.This helps prevent the lateral movement of attackers and limits the impact of potential breaches originating from one zone or communication channel.

Secure Communication Protocols and Encryption: The standard emphasizes the use of secure communication protocols like SSL/TLS and IPSec, as well as strong encryption, to protect data exchanges

Firewalls: Firewalls are a key component in securing both ground-to-ground and ground-to-train communications in rail networks.Firewalls help implement robust network defense mechanisms, detect and mitigate cyber threats, and enable the enforcement of security policies.Firewalls work in conjunction with other security measures like encryption, secure protocols, and access management to create a comprehensive defense against cyber attacks.

Access Management and Authentication: TS 50701 recommends implementing robust access management and multi-factor authentication controls to ensure only authorized entities can access and interact with the rail systems

Risk Assessment and Management: The standard requires a detailed risk assessment process to identify and mitigate threats, including those targeting ground-to-ground and ground-to-train communication. It also incorporates the security level (SL) concept from the IEC 62443 standard to define appropriate security requirements for the communication components and systems.

TS 50701 incorporates numerous concepts and requirements from the IEC 62443 series of standards, especially IEC 62443-3-2 (Security risk assessment for system design) and IEC 62443-3-3 (System security requirements and security levels). TS 50701 also incorporates elements from the ISO/IEC 27001 and 27002 standards, which provide a comprehensive framework for information security management.

By providing a comprehensive, rail-specific cybersecurity framework, addressing unique industry challenges, and incorporating best practices like zoning and secure communications, TS 50701 significantly improves the overall security and resilience of rail networks against cyber threats.