A cyber attack affecting the public Wi-Fi at 19 UK railway stations has been traced to an insider at the internet provider. The breach resulted in users being shown a message about terror attacks when they connected to the Network Rail Wi-Fi system.

The Wi-Fi service, operated by Telent and supplied by Global Reach, displayed alarming messages containing details and images of Islamist-related terror attacks in the UK and Europe. Chris Dyson, 53, from Leeds, encountered the message when he logged onto the Wi-Fi at Birmingham New Street on Wednesday. He described the experience as unsettling, with “bizarre security alerts and dodgy pop-ups” causing concern about the possibility of a more serious threat.

Telent issued a statement following an investigation with Global Reach, confirming that an “unauthorised change” was made to the Network Rail landing page via a legitimate administrator account from Global Reach. The incident is now the subject of a criminal investigation by the British Transport Police.

A Network Rail spokesperson acknowledged the cyber attack and stated that the affected Wi-Fi service, managed by a third party, has been suspended while the investigation continues. The impact was not limited to railway stations, with other organisations potentially affected.

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The stations impacted by the hack include major hubs such as London Bridge, King’s Cross, Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham New Street, and Glasgow Central, among others across the UK.

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