Market Forecast
The global railway cybersecurity market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of over 8.6% to reach a value of around USD 13.90 billion by the end of the forecast period of 2021-2030.
Railway systems are generally considered safe regarding cyber attacks as they rely on proprietary, segregated networks and follow specific protocols for management, communication, and signaling. Nowadays, rail systems are more and more connected and open. IT security is evolving in railway applications at a higher pace, including networks, signaling, communication, and train control systems. Cyberattacks can create less impact if the rail manufacturers, operators, and system integrators follow the security measures.
Increased need for smart mobility solutions and services fueling the growth of the railway cybersecurity market. Customers are expecting uninterrupted internet connection not only to plan and book their journeys but also to work and entertain themselves during the journeys. These advanced systems are solutions that are prone to cyberattacks.
Regulatory Framework
Below is the list of cybersecurity standards used in the railway sector across countries.
ISA/IEC 62443 series of standards offers a flexible framework to address and mitigate security vulnerabilities in industrial automation and control systems (IACSs). These standards provide the technical requirement for cybersecurity components to make IACS.
General
62443-1-1: Defines technical specification, concepts, and models.
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- Policies and procedures
62443-2-1: The standard defines the elements necessary to establish a cyber security management system (CSMS).
62443-2-3: Describes the Patch management in the IACS environment
62443-2-4: Describes requirements of security capabilities for IACS service providers.
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- System
62443-3-1: It describes the various categories of control system-centric cybersecurity technologies for IACS environments.
62443-3-2: It defines security risk assessment for system design
62443-3‑3: It describes system security requirements and security levels
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- Components and requirements
62443-4‑1: It describes process requirements for the secure product development life cycle.
62443-4‑2: This standard provides the detailed technical security requirements for IACS components
Impact of Coronavirus Outbreak
The COVID-19 outbreak halted passengers’ mobility and significantly affected the railway sector. During this period, most railway component manufacturers suspended their production owing to the decline in demand. The delay in allocating R&D budgets on new rail initiatives significantly affected the adoption of railway cybersecurity solutions.
During the epidemic, railway transport showed remarkable resilience. This allows railway transport to turn this crisis into an opportunity by taking advantage of its comparative advantages.
Segmentation
By Security Type
Based on security type, the global railway cybersecurity market has been segmented into network security, application security, data protection, endpoint security, and system administration.
The network security segment is expected to lead the railway cybersecurity market for during the forecast period.Digital transformation in railways helps rail operators increase operational efficiency, rail safety, reliability, and an enhanced passenger experience. The digitalization of the systems is prone to cyberattacks. Robust network security solutions enable railways to continuously protect the rail infrastructure and mitigate cyber risk by leveraging advanced technologies.
By Region
North America: Regional growth for railway cybersecurity in North America is driven by increased demand for robust cyber security solutions and services to safeguard the critical railway’s infrastructure from cyber threats.
Asia-Pacific: increased urbanization and rapid population growth result in the development of rail networks and accelerating the growth of the railway cybersecurity market. Key players in the APAC region include Hitachi Ltd., Huawei, Toshiba, and Tech Mahindra Ltd.
Europe: Europe contributes to the major share of the global railway cybersecurity market. The market growth in this region is due to the increased demand for advanced technologies, leading to increased comfort levels of passengers and reducing intercity travel time.
Competitor Analysis
Some of the key players operating in the global railway cybersecurity market include Thales Group (France), Siemens AG (Germany), Alstom (France), Wabtec Corporation (US), Hitachi, Ltd. (Japan), Nokia Networks (Finland), IBM (US), Cisco Systems, Inc. (US), Raytheon Technologies Corporation (US), Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (China), and Toshiba Corporation (Japan)
The key players are engaged in strategic initiatives such as product launches, mergers,and acquisitions. For instance, in August 2021, Hitachi Rail entered into an agreement with Thales to acquire its Ground Transportation Systems business. Moreover, in March 2021, Thales launched DIVA (Distributed Intelligent Video Analytics) system to monitor passenger density and support social distancing in stations and onboard trains.