
The Dutch government has announced the replacement of thousands of traffic lights after the discovery of a vulnerability that could easily be exploited for cyber-hacking. This will prevent potential attacks that could create chaos on the roads.
The Dutch government has announced the replacement of thousands of traffic lights after the discovery of a vulnerability that could easily be exploited for cyber-hacking. This will prevent potential attacks that could create chaos on the roads.
Research conducted by security engineer Alvin Peppels has revealed a serious vulnerability in the traffic light control system in the Netherlands. Peppels used the radio transmission to send commands to traffic light controllers, causing them to change signals to green for emergency services, which could be used for malicious purposes. The government has decided to replace all traffic lights by 2030 with a new “Talking Traffic” system that will be safer and less vulnerable to such attacks.
The traffic light control system in the Netherlands uses a technology known as KAR, which since 2005 has been helping emergency services get through intersections faster. However, due to its vulnerability, hackers can abuse it for manipulation. Peppels discovered this vulnerability via radio and reported it to the government.
The replacement of the old systems with the more modern “Talking Traffic” technology is planned to be completed by 2030. While the new system solves old problems, it may also create new security challenges.