The French railway operator SNCF was hit by a major cyberattack targeting its high-speed TGV network overnight from Thursday to Friday, causing severe disruptions just hours before the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The attack, described by the company as involving “several simultaneous malicious actions,” affected the TGV Atlantique, Nord, and Est lines, which connect Paris with the western, northern, and eastern parts of France. As reported, arson was used to inflict damage on the high-speed rail infrastructure.
Damaged cables lie, near Courtalain, France, near the site where vandals targeted France’s high-speed train network with a series of coordinated actions that brought major disruption, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony, July 26, 2024. Mayor of Vald?Yerre/Franck Marchand via Facebook via REUTERS
SNCF railway workers and police officers work at the site where vandals targeted France’s high-speed train network with a series of coordinated actions that brought major disruption, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony, in Croisilles, northern France July 26, 2024. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
As a result, high-speed train services on these routes have been heavily disrupted. SNCF is rerouting some trains onto conventional lines but will need to cancel a large number of services. The attack has been labeled as “sabotage” by sources close to the situation.
Today, around 250,000 people are expected to be affected by the disruption, with nearly 800,000 facing impacts over the weekend, according to the CEO of SNCF Voyageurs. SNCF Réseau teams are on-site assessing the damage and beginning repairs, but the company warns that the situation is likely to persist through the weekend.
Paris 2024 Olympics – Gare de Bordeaux Saint-Jean, Bordeaux, France – July 26, 2024. Passengers and staff inside Gare de Bordeaux Saint-Jean station after threats against France’s high-speed TGV network, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony. REUTERS/Susana Vera
Paris 2024 Olympics – Gare de Bordeaux Saint-Jean, Bordeaux, France – July 26, 2024. Passengers inside Gare de Bordeaux Saint-Jean station after threats against France’s high-speed TGV network, ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony. REUTERS/Susana Vera
In light of the situation, SNCF advises travelers to postpone their trips and avoid heading to the station. All customers will be updated via SMS about their train services, and the company has assured that changes and refunds are available for all tickets.
