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Brenner Base Tunnel: Cyberattack on Construction Company

Security1 min read

Hackers attacked the company building the Brenner Base Tunnel between Austria and Italy. The builder says they reached some data that could be reached from the internet, but no danger to the tunnel was created.

What happened

BBT SE, the company that is building the Brenner Base Tunnel, was the target of a cyberattack in mid-October. Unknown attackers got into parts of data that could be reached over the internet. The Tiroler Tageszeitung newspaper reported it first. BBT says the attack did not create any danger for building or running the tunnel. High-security data was not affected.

Key facts

  • The tunnel is 64 kilometers long.
  • It costs 11.7 billion euros.
  • It should be open from 2034 and make trips between Germany and Italy much shorter.
  • The attack happened in mid-October.
  • Italian authorities are investigating, because BBT has its office in Bozen (Bolzano).

The tunnel project

The Brenner Base Tunnel is a major European rail project. It runs under the Alps between Austria and Italy. Trains on this route will be faster once it opens.

Why it matters

Big public projects hold a lot of planning data, so they can be targets for hackers. This attack shows that even large construction projects need strong online security. BBT says no secret data was taken and the building work is safe for now.

What to watch

  • Whether Italian investigators find out who did it and why.
  • Whether BBT shares more details about what data was taken.
  • Whether security changes are made to protect other project data.

Glossary

BBT SE
The company that builds and manages the Brenner Base Tunnel.

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