A new Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI) survey, led by transportation consultant and former ITS America president and CEO Scott Belcher, has found thatĀ over 80% of transit agencies report feeling prepared for a cybersecurity threat, yet only 60% have a cybersecurity program in place, according to its latest surveyĀ of 90 transit agency technology leaders in the USA
Other key findings include that, while 73% of respondents feel they have access to information to help implement a cybersecurity preparedness program, only 60% have a cybersecurity response plan in place and 43% do not find their plan sufficient.
While 47% of agencies reported auditing their cybersecurity program at least once a year, over halfĀ do not keep a log for longer than a yearā one of the most basic cybersecurity preparedness requirements. FurthermoreĀ 36% do not have a cyber disaster recovery plan; and 67% do not have a cyber crisis communications plan.
He goes on to describe how agencies that have become aware of the imminent threat have taken action to protect themselves from cyber attacks, including seeking technical leadership from outside the transit industry and contracting out the management of personally identifiable information (PII).Ā Ā
For the majority of transit agencies, resources for cybersecurity will remain scarce and thus there needs to be a collaborative effort from the federal government, the industry, and agency leadership to establish, maintain, and refine cybersecurity programs. The research team emphasises that theĀ Federal Transit AdministrationĀ (FTA) should require transit organisations to adopt and implement minimum cybersecurity standards prior to receiving federal funding.
Ā The team also recommends federal funds be allocated for the development ofĀ comprehensive cybersecurity preparedness plans and their implementation. Industry trade associations should continue to develop, refine, and improve existing cybersecurity guidance to enable transit agencies to adequately prepare for the inevitable cyber disruption and maintain a ready approach in the event of an attack.