Proposal of the standard-based method for communication safety enhancement in railway signalling systems

Abstract

This paper on a standard-based method for communication safety enhancement in railway signaling systems is from the proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Computer System Design and Operation in Railways and Other Transit Systems, held in Beijing, China, in 2010. The authors explore how safety-critical systems related to the railway communications are currently undergoing changes, notably that mechanical and electro-mechanical devices are being replaced by programmable electronics that are often controlled remotely via communication networks. In these new systems, designers and operators have to contend both with component failures and user errors, and with the possibility that malicious attackers are seeking to disrupt the services provided by their systems. The authors discuss the safety strategies employed in railway communications and propose a security mechanism for the Korean railway communication system. They present a communication safety evaluation tool based on this proposed security mechanism and evaluate its protecting capability against threats of masquerading, eavesdropping, and unauthorized message manipulation. The authors conclude that the safety of the open railway communication networks can be assured as long as measures for safety and security are in place.