London (Parliament Politics Magzine) – The consequences of a cyber attack on Transport for London (TfL) which hacked the attributes of approximately 5,000 customers could soon be resolved, Sadiq Khan has indicated.
The mayor expressed TfL was
“working incredibly hard around the clock”
to fully revive its operations, and that there is
“light at the end of the tunnel”
for Londoners impacted by the issue.
Last month, a 17-year-old boy was apprehended over the hack, which accessed customer names, emails, home addresses and potentially Oyster refund details, including bank account numbers and sort codes.
TfL’s response to the seizure has seen online Oyster photocard applications stopped and the roll-out of contactless ticketing to 47 stations outside Greater London delayed “to a later date”. TfL is also unfit to issue refunds for unfinished pay-as-you-go journeys made using contactless.
What progress has been made in resolving the cyber attack?
Mr Sadiq Khan said:
“I’ve got to be careful regarding what I can share, but I can share that the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSS) are operating closely with TfL. The fact that the inconvenience Londoners have mourned has not been as bad as it could have been, demonstrates the excellent work of TfL working with partners. But it’s still causing inconvenience to Londoners, including young Londoners going about their enterprise and trying to use their Zip card.”
What are the implications for students using Zip cards?
Zip cards, utilised by young people aged 11-17, permit the holder to free bus and tram travel and half-price Tube and rail fares. The cards would normally have passed on September 30, requiring revival, but TfL suspended online applications for new cards as part of its reaction to the cyber-attack.
One college principal cautioned it could leave some students at risk of dropping out of their studies, due to their incapacity to pay the full cost of Tube and bus fares. TfL has however raised the renewal deadline until October 31 and has advised children and students to persist using their existing Zip cards, even once they expire. Other types of Oyster photocard, such as the 60+ Oyster, are also still elusive for online applications.
What measures has TfL taken in response to the attack?
The mayor stated:
“TfL are working incredibly hard around the clock. I speak to the commissioner [of TfL, Andy Lord] on a daily basis – I mean, he’s working seven days a week, with experts, to try and avoid the consequences of the cyber-attack being even worse.”